A petition has been filed before the Supreme Court questioning the practice of sending a ceremonial chadar on behalf of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the Ajmer Sharif Dargah during the annual Urs of Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti.
The plea contends that participation by the Prime Minister or the Union government in a religious ritual is inconsistent with the secular framework of the Constitution. It argues that state involvement in such ceremonies amounts to endorsement of a particular religion and violates the principle of neutrality that constitutional authorities are required to maintain.
According to the petitioner, while individuals are free to practise and propagate religion in their personal capacity, official participation by a constitutional functionary blurs the distinction between the State and religion. The petition seeks directions restraining the government from facilitating or sponsoring the chadar offering in an official capacity.
The issue arises amid ongoing debates surrounding the religious character of the Ajmer Sharif shrine, which has been the subject of multiple legal proceedings in recent years. Supporters of the chadar tradition view it as a gesture of cultural harmony, while critics argue that it is inappropriate for the State to be associated with religious customs.
The Supreme Court is yet to decide whether it will admit the plea for hearing. Further proceedings will determine how the Court balances constitutional secularism with long-standing governmental practices linked to religious institutions.
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