New Delhi, March 11
The controversial sect of Anand Marg, which has been under cloud for various reasons — be it their alleged involvement in the Purlia arms drop case or Lalit Narain Mishra murder case — today suffered a major set back as the Supreme Court ruled that its followers cannot perform ‘Tandav naritya’ with skulls and “trishuls” in public.
Upholding the ban on Anand Margis’ ‘Tandav naritya’ by the West Bengal Government, a three-Judge Bench, in a two-to-one majority ruling, set aside the 1990 order of the Calcutta High Court, stating that the followers of the sect had a right to take out such processions.
“The practice of ‘Tandav naritya’ in public place is not an essential part of Anand Margi faith,” Mr Justice Rajendera Babu and Mr Justice G P Mathur in the majority ruling said. But Mr Justice A R Lakshmanan, the third judge of the Bench, disagreed with their findings and held that those following the sect had the fundamental right of practising their faith as they believe it.
Mr Justice Lakshmanan, even went a step further and said that an exemplary cost should be imposed on Kolkata Police Commissioner for the prohibitory order against taking out the ‘Tandav naritya’ processions by the Anand Margis.
Anand Marg’s founder Anandmurthi P. R. Sarkar in 1966 had made performance of “Tandav” a compulsory ritual for the sect’s followers.
The apex court in the majority ruling clarified that the faith of Anand Marg was not an ancient faith but came into existence only few years ago. “The practice of the dance by it is still more recent,” the court ruled.
The court said any ritualistic or religious performance had to be “determined with reference to its doctrine, practice tenets and historical background.”
Anand Marg, which has a chequered history, was banned by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi during the Emergency in 1975. Five of its activists were charged with plotting the assassination of Indira’s Cabinet colleague Lalit Narain Mishra in Samastipur (Bihar) the same year.
Allegations were also levelled against the sect for its “involvement” in the infamous
Purulia arms drop case.
