No oral ban in Tamil Nadu on live screenings of Lord Ram Lalla’s ‘Pran Pratishta’ at Ayodhya: Supreme Court

Today, the Supreme Court (SC) was hearing a writ petition filed by a Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader alleging that the state government has banned live screenings of Lord Ram Lalla’s ‘Pran Pratishta’ at Ayodhya. The bench said that permission cannot be denied on the sole ground that other communities are living in the location. During the court proceedings, the Tamil Nadu Government told the SC that there is no ban on organizing the live screenings of the Pran Pratishta ceremony of Lord Ram. The bench hearing the matter, Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Dipankar Datta, said “We believe and trust that the authorities will act in accordance with the law and not on the basis of any oral instructions.” The order reads, “Issue notice returnable on 29.01.2024 (Friday).” 

On Sunday (January 21, 2024), Nirmala Sitharaman, Union Finance Minister, claimed that there were several reports alleging that the state government has banned live streaming. He wrote on X (earlier known as Twitter), “Tamil Nadu Government has banned watching live telecast of Ayodhya Ram Mandir programmed of 22 January 2024. In TN there are over 200 temples for Shri Ram. In HR&CE-managed temples no puja/bhajan/prasadam/annadanam in the name of Shri Ram is allowed. Police are stopping privately held temples also from organizing events. They are threatening organizers that they will rip off pandals.” The assertions were denied by the state as State Minister P.K. Sekar Babu wrote on X “Strongly condemn the spreading of false information in an attempt to divert people’s attention from the DMK Youth Conference in Salem. The Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments department hasn’t imposed any limitations on devotees’ freedom to offer food, conduct poojas in the name of Shri Ram or provide prasad in Tamil Nadu temples.”

After hearing the matter, the SC bench ordered “The allegation made in the present petition is that oral orders have been issued to ban live telecast, performance of poojas, archanas, annadhanas (poor feeding), bhajans and processions on the occasion of Pran Pratishta of Lord Ram at Ayodhya today. Reliance is placed on some documents in support of the said contention. Mr. Amit Anand Tiwari learned Senior Advocate… states no oral directions have been issued and there is no ban on live telecast of poojas, archanas, annadhanas, bhajans on the occasion of ‘pran pratishta’ of Lord Ram at Ayodhya today. The statement is taken on record. We believe and trust that the authorities will act in accordance with the law and not on the basis of any oral instructions…The authorities while examining the applications, if any, shall proceed as per law and shall give reasons for rejecting the applications.”