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Journalism of Courage
From the two ends of India, two case studies for government on how not to handle the interface with religious custom. In Jammu and Kashmir, a probe has been ordered into allegations that the Shivlinga at Amarnath was manmade this year and that official representatives on the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board were in the loop. In Kerala, the state government has flinched from involving itself in any way whatsoever amidst the furore about a supposed 8220;defilement8221; at Sabarimala. This week, an actress, Jayamala, said she had visited the shrine two decades ago and touched the idol. The Tranvancore Devaswom Board, which manages the shrine, is outraged at this breach of rules barring women in the 10-50 age group.
For a secular democracy, government must be very careful in what and how it involves itself in religious matters. It must, in fact, be seen to be above meddling in matters of faith. Whether there was connivance in bringing snow from the upper reaches to the cave at Amarnath will be established by the investigation. But a lesson should be instantly taken from the episode, and the process must be reformed so that government functionaries are extricated from the absurdity of having to vouch for the natural formation of the Shivalinga. Government cannot be guarantor of religious customs. The secular and sacred aspects of administering the yatra 8212; or any other event 8212; have to be separated.
