'Not praying in a dedicated room doesn't say person not a Hindu'

Chennai: The Madras High Court on Friday ruled that a Hindu individual's act of not offering prayers in a room specified for the purpose cannot be considered a ground to declare that the person is not a Hindu.

A division bench comprising Justices N Paul Vasanthakumar and K Ravichandrababu stated this, while quashing an order cancelling a community certificate issued to a Dalit Panchayat President who reconverted from Christianity to Hindusim.

The court agreed with the Panchayat President Vasikaran's counsel that officials who submitted a report after visiting his client's house had incorrectly concluded that no pooja was performed as there was no evidence to prove that in the pooja room. "Not praying in a dedicated room doesn't say that a person is not a Hindu," the Madras High Court observed.

Vasikaran was elected as President of Gerugambakkam Panchayat (reserved). His rival who lost the October 2011 local body polls moved the State Election Commission, seeking cancellation of the Dalit certificate claiming that he is a Christian.

The matter was referred to Revenue officials. The Village Administrative Officer and Revenue Divisional Officer inspected the home and submitted a report stating that though there were photographs of Hindu deities, there was no evidence of pooja being performed by Vasikaran in his house.

They also said that they found some verses from the Bible and a cross inscribed in the house and recommended the cancellation of Dalit certificate.

Vasikaran then filed a petition stating that the Collector had sent notices in the name of K Victor, his previous name when he was a Christian. He said he had re-converted to Hinduism in an Arya Samaj ceremony at Chennai, which had also issued him a certificate.

He submitted that he was polled more than 2600 votes, which would prove that he was accepted by his community. The court noted that Vasikaran was described as a Dalit in his school certificate in 1989 and Sriperumbudur Tahsildar also gave a community certificate in 1996.

His rivals had not raked up the caste issue before the poll, the court said and allowed the petition.