Government tells Supreme Court not to define 'essential religious practices'
Ahead of a key Supreme Court hearing, the government has told the court not to define what counts as "essential religious practices" in Hinduism.
It argues that Hinduism is super diverse (more a way of life than a set of fixed rules) and putting strict labels could mess with its unique traditions.
This all ties back to the Sabarimala temple debate, where the court had ruled in 2018 that women of all ages should be allowed entry.
Solicitor General warns definition risks pluralism
The government's main point is about keeping things flexible.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said Hinduism has multiple beliefs and practices, so forcing one definition could actually hurt its pluralism.
The original 2018 verdict called banning women from Sabarimala unconstitutional and compared it to untouchability, but now there is concern that drawing hard lines might do more harm than good for both tradition and equality.