No bar on people of other religions visiting Churches: Acting Chief Justice

HYDERABAD: The Hyderabad High Court on Tuesday asked what was wrong if people from other religions also visited a Church. A division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Ramesh Ranganathan and Justice K. Vijaya Lakshmi was dealing with a PIL challenging the appointment of Putta Sudhakar Yadav and Ms V. Anita as chairman and member of the TTD Trust Board respectively.

T. Omkar and two others belonging to Hindu Chait-anya Samiti of Tirupati moved the PIL stating that Mr Sudhakar Yadav who was the member of the Trust Board in 2015-17 had indulged in the propaganda of non-Hindu religions and had also participated in a Christian religious function in Kadapa in 2016 as Chief Guest. The counsel for the petitioner submitted that as per the TTD regulations, members of the TTD Trust sho-uld not visit places of worships belonging to other religions.

The ACJ said that he had also visited the ancient and beautiful church at Medak and there was no bar on people of other religions visiting churches. At this juncture, the counsel appearing for AP informed the court that the petitioners had moved another petition challenging the GO issued by the government with regard to appointment of the TTD Trust Board chairman. While closing the present petition as it was with regard to decision of the state government, the bench said that it would hear the fresh petition in due course.