Supreme Court warns restricting temple entry by caste harms Hinduism
India
The Supreme Court has called out the practice of restricting temple entry based on caste or sect, saying it could actually hurt Hinduism and goes against India's goal of unity.
During the Sabarimala hearings, Chief Justice of India Surya Kant stressed that dividing people this way only harms social harmony.
Religious rights must respect public order
The court made it clear that while religious groups have rights to manage their own affairs, these are not absolute: they must respect public order and social harmony.
Justice Nagarathna pointed out that We have to unify...we do not have to divide further, reminding everyone that places of worship should be open to all.
The big takeaway: religious freedom is important, but so is making sure everyone feels included.