As India reached the 72nd year of its Independence, in a first for the country, the Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha has set up a Hindu Court on the lines of Sharia courts. According to a report published by the Times of India, the court was launched in a special ceremony which was held at the organisation's Meerut office.
The National Secretary of the Hindu Mahasabha Pooja Shakun Pandey will be the Hindu Court's first judge as per the records. The court is meant to take decisions on Hindu issues just like the Darul-Qaza or Sharia Courts resolve affairs concerning Muslims.
"We had challenged the establishment of Sharia Courts a few days ago and asked that they should not exist at all because there should be one constitution for all. We had even asked the government in a letter that we sent demanding this, that if our demands are not met, we will set up a similar court for Hindus. Since no action was taken in our favour, we set up the first Hindu court here on Wednesday," Times of India quoted National Vice President of the Hindu Mahasabha, Pandit Ashok Sharma as saying.
The court is supposed to address a number of issues such as harassment of Hindu women, Hindu marriages, disputes related to property and money among others. The court's first judge Pandey feels that the move would bring Hindus closer as they have been divided along caste lines. She also told the English Daily that not only would there be provisions of jails, the court could also announce capital punishments. Pandey, who holds multiple degrees in mathematics and computer science used to work as a professor until five years ago.
The bylaws of the Hindu Court will be declared by the Akhil Bhartiya Mahasabha on October 2. It would also appoint five judges across the country on Novemeber 15, suggests the report. "These Hindu courts will help people to get justice in an affordable manner," said district President Abhishek Agarwal.
Sharia Courts, which according to the Supreme Court, have no legal sanction, are courts where Muslims can seek to resolve or mediation in issues related to marriages, divorces and property inheritance, in accordance with Islamic laws. These courts have been present in the country for decades and work under the arbitration act. The Sharia courts are also, in no way, parallel to the Indian courts which operate strictly on the basis of the Indian Constitution.
Even though these courts don't find legal sanctity, the apex court has maintained that it is a matter of faith for people to approach Sharia courts and it is not possible to put a blanket ban on these courts.
