New Delhi, December 12: Union Minister Giriraj Singh has criticized the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991, stating that Hindus were denied the opportunity to oppose the law when it was passed under the Congress government. Singh emphasized that Hindus should have been given a platform to voice their concerns, particularly about the law’s restriction on changing the character of religious sites as they existed on August 15, 1947.
Singh’s remarks come ahead of a Supreme Court hearing scheduled for Thursday, where Public Interest Litigations (PILs) challenging certain provisions of the 1991 law will be examined. The law, which prohibits the alteration of religious sites’ status, has been controversial, and critics, including Singh, argue that it overlooks historical grievances related to these sites.
The Places of Worship Act, which was introduced during the Congress-led government’s tenure, has long been a subject of debate. The Supreme Court’s forthcoming decision on the PILs could have significant implications for the treatment of religious freedom and the preservation of India’s historical monuments, potentially reshaping the legal framework surrounding such sites.
