Bombay High Court seeks govt stance on plea to permit Jain followers to take parcels of pious food from temples during Ayambil Tap

Two religious trusts of Jain community moved the Bombay High Court with an urgent plea to permit Jain followers to procure "pious cooked food" from the premises of the Trust temples for a specific time-period of nine days during the 'Ayambil Tap', a religious festival for the Jain community. .Shree Trust Atman Kamal Labdhisurishwarji Jain Gyanmandir Trust and Sheth Motisha Religious and Charitable Trust filed the pleas to raise grievance against the decision of the State to not open up religious places/places of worship for the members of the public. .The petition was moved in extreme urgency in view of the fact that Ayambil Tap would be starting from Monday next week.The trusts submitted that were only seeking permission to allow devotees to pick up the pious food from the temple in specific slots and batches for nine days starting April 19 to 27, 2021..Advocates Prafulla Shah, Gunjan Shah and Kayval Shah for the Jain Trust informed the Court since special cooks prepare the meal with the required ingredients in a specific manner, it is not possible for every devotee to prepare those meals at their homes. .Shah also pointed out that a similar request was made last year before a co-ordinate bench, when they were allowed to use dining halls for 9 days with SOPs in place, since it was not forming congregation..Govt has allowed opening of restaurants, Jain devotees can be allowed to use temple dining halls: Bombay High Court observes.A Bench of Justices SC Gupte and Abhay Ahuja pointed out that considering the order of the State government which came out on Tuesday, and the existing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) "temples could not be allowed to remain open". ."It is unfortunate that restaurants and bars can remain open to allow parcels and deliveries, but religious places cannot be allowed for a short time and only for the purpose of taking away parcels," Shah replied..After a brief hearing, the Bench directed Government Pleader PP Kakade to get instructions on this aspect from the concerned authorities. "Their request seems to be reasonable. They are not opening the religious place, it is just to provide parcels of food," Justice Gupte remarked. .Government Pleader Jyoti Chavan mentioned the matter before the Bench rose for lunch. She informed the Court that the State would not permit take aways and gathering of congregation..Justice Gupte suggested that volunteers from the Jain community can deliver food instead of people assembling near the temple. He added that "a solution can be worked out considering the community consists of considerate, good people"..After both parties were directed to think of workable solutions, Chavan submitted that this should not be considered as a bias by the State for one community. Chavan was referring to the order of the Court on Wednesday refusing to permit the Juma Masjid of Bombay Trust to allow people to offer Namaz (prayer) at its mosque in Mumbai during the month long festival of Ramzan..Agreeing with the submission, Justice Gupte clarified that the prayer in this plea is to allow taking away of food from the temple premises and not to enter the temple..The plea came after an order issued by the Maharashtra government on Tuesday evening imposing curfew, restricted movements and night lockdown in the State to combat Covid-19. The order directed that places of worship would remain closed till May 1, 2021.