<p>Tripura High Court on Friday banned all forms of animal and bird sacrifices in the temples, including the sacrifice of a goat every day by the state government in the ancient Mata Tripureswari Devi temple.</p>.<p>A bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Karol and Justice Arindam Lodh, while pronouncing the judgment, also asked the state government to allot land for sheltering the livestock offered by devotees as per their ancient faith and beliefs.</p>.<p>The bench said that the sacrifice of an animal in a temple, not being an essential part of religion, was also violative of Article 21 of the Constitution of India.</p>.<p>The judgment was pronounced based on a petition filed by Subhas Bhattacharjee, a retired judicial officer and a lawyer, seeking a ban on the practice of animal sacrifice in temples of Tripura including in Tripureswari Devi temple in Udaipur district and Chaturdas Devta temple.</p>.<p>The BJP-led government in the state, in an affidavit, objected to the petition saying that domestic animal sacrifice in Mata Tripureswari Devi temple by the state government since pre-Independence time was followed traditionally and can not be stopped.</p>.<p>But the High Court bench stated that the act of the state offering one goat every day, for a sacrifice in the Mata Tripureswari Devi temple and other temples on certain occasions, lacks the essence of the economic, commercial, political or secular character and hence, it is neither permissible under the Indian Constitution nor any statute.</p>.<p>The age-long practice of sacrifice of an animal, either by the state or by an individual, cannot be said to be an essential part of the religion and is not protected under Article 25(1) for it is against the principle/doctrine of morality and health. It is also against the provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animal Act, 1960.</p>.<p>Right to freedom of religion is subject to the rigours of public order, morality, health and the other provisions of Part-III. The sacrifice of an animal in a temple, not being an essential part of religion, is also violative of Article 21 of the Constitution of India, the bench observed.</p>.<p>The bench further ordered the district magistrates and police to execute the ban order and observed that video recording of temple activities should be part of the record of temples in case of any appeal in the future.</p>
<p>Tripura High Court on Friday banned all forms of animal and bird sacrifices in the temples, including the sacrifice of a goat every day by the state government in the ancient Mata Tripureswari Devi temple.</p>.<p>A bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Karol and Justice Arindam Lodh, while pronouncing the judgment, also asked the state government to allot land for sheltering the livestock offered by devotees as per their ancient faith and beliefs.</p>.<p>The bench said that the sacrifice of an animal in a temple, not being an essential part of religion, was also violative of Article 21 of the Constitution of India.</p>.<p>The judgment was pronounced based on a petition filed by Subhas Bhattacharjee, a retired judicial officer and a lawyer, seeking a ban on the practice of animal sacrifice in temples of Tripura including in Tripureswari Devi temple in Udaipur district and Chaturdas Devta temple.</p>.<p>The BJP-led government in the state, in an affidavit, objected to the petition saying that domestic animal sacrifice in Mata Tripureswari Devi temple by the state government since pre-Independence time was followed traditionally and can not be stopped.</p>.<p>But the High Court bench stated that the act of the state offering one goat every day, for a sacrifice in the Mata Tripureswari Devi temple and other temples on certain occasions, lacks the essence of the economic, commercial, political or secular character and hence, it is neither permissible under the Indian Constitution nor any statute.</p>.<p>The age-long practice of sacrifice of an animal, either by the state or by an individual, cannot be said to be an essential part of the religion and is not protected under Article 25(1) for it is against the principle/doctrine of morality and health. It is also against the provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animal Act, 1960.</p>.<p>Right to freedom of religion is subject to the rigours of public order, morality, health and the other provisions of Part-III. The sacrifice of an animal in a temple, not being an essential part of religion, is also violative of Article 21 of the Constitution of India, the bench observed.</p>.<p>The bench further ordered the district magistrates and police to execute the ban order and observed that video recording of temple activities should be part of the record of temples in case of any appeal in the future.</p>