Plea filed against Parsi fire temple in Delhi for alleged discrimination

NEW DELHI: The High Court on Friday sought the response of the Centre, police and AAP government on a PIL alleging persons belonging to other religions were discriminated against as they were being denied entry into the Parsi temple near Delhi Gate. A bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice V K Rao also issued notice to the Parsi Anjuman, which looks after the temple, and sought their stand on the plea by April 11.

The petition filed by an advocate has alleged that the temple was “practising a system of apartheid, untouchability and communalism by not allowing Hindu, Muslim, Sikhs, etc to enter the sanctum sanctorum of Fire Temple.” According to the petitioner, he came to know of the bar on entry into fire temple on people from other religions when he was denied entry there.

The petition has also sought directions to the body managing the Jama Masjid here to permit women to offer prayers there. The high court had earlier sought response of the Centre, the AAP government and police on a similar plea seeking entry of women into the sanctum sanctorum of the Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia Dargah here. With Agency inputs