Approaching Court for Fundamental Rights Not Political: Solicitor General Tushar Mehta

New Delhi: In connection with a petition filed today against the state of Tamil Nadu stating that the state government is preventing Hindus from performing pujas, rituals, Anndanam and other religious activities, Solicitor General of India, Tushar Mehta, appeared on behalf of the central government. Expressing his shock over the matter, Mehta drew the attention of the Supreme Court to the fact that the Constitution is above all else.

The Solicitor General requested the Supreme Court that a strong message must go from the highest judiciary of the country to the state government that the Constitution is above the state and still governs the nation, adding that  it applies to the state of Tamil Nadu also.

Citizen Seeking Protection of the Supreme Court Under Article 25 and 26 Not Political: SG

Mehta emphasised that nobody can be prevented from performing religious rituals. When the Counsel for the state of Tamil Nadu raised an issue that the petition is politically motivated, the Solicitor General responded that a citizen seeking protection of the Supreme Court for his fundamental rights under Article 25 and 26 can never be termed political.

In this context, after the matter was over, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta shared a couplet with the counsel for the petitioner Shri Naidu in context of the arguments of the petitioner that the state of Tamil Nadu wants to destroy Hindu religion.

Quoting Mohammad Iqbal, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said, “There is a thing that our personality does not fade away. The world has been our enemy for centuries.”

Notably, the Supreme Court on Monday asked the authorities in Tamil Nadu to act in accordance with the law and not based on any oral instructions on "banning" special prayers and live telecast of the Ram temple consecration ceremony in all temples across the state.