Hyderabad: Justice B. Vijaysen Reddy of the Telangana High Court directed the police of Mahankali Division, Secunderabad, not to interfere with corporator Kontham Deepika’s rights to visit the Muthyalamma Temple and offer her prayers. The judge gave his interim order with conditions that the petitioner would comply with Section 144 in vogue. Deepika moved the High Court complaining that while she was on the way to Muthyalamma Temple to perform a religious act, specifically offering Bonam to appease the goddess and secure peace and harmony for society, she was unjustly obstructed by the police. They failed to provide any valid reasons, orders, or court directives prohibiting her entry into the temple. Senior Counsel L. Ravichander pointed out that the act of prohibiting a citizen from going to a temple to offer prayers reflected the kind of governance we are facing. He pointed out that the exercise of such arbitrary power would lead to disastrous consequences. The government pointed out that there was a case booked against the corporator to which the senior counsel said there was no law that bars accused people from going to a temple. The judge accordingly directed a conditional interim order.
