Court orders Muslim man to clean Hindu temple as bail condition in West Bengal
Kolkata: A court in the Indian state of West Bengal state has directed a Muslim man accused of hurting Hindu religious sentiments to clean the premises of a Hindu temple every day as a condition of his bail, drawing criticism over the use of religiously linked conditions in judicial proceedings.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the order was issued by an Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate in Purba Bardhaman district after Babulal Sheikh was arrested over a viral video showing him climbing onto a parked Rath (ceremonial Hindu chariot) while wearing shoes and recording a video. He was arrested following a complaint filed by members of a local Hindu religious committee.
While granting bail, the court directed Sheikh to clean the temple premises and the adjoining road daily until the police complete their investigation. He was also ordered to report to the investigating officer once every week and cooperate with the probe. Local media reports said the court further instructed him to wash the steps of the ceremonial chariot for one week in the presence of police personnel.
During the bail hearing, Sheikh’s lawyer argued that the police had failed to follow mandatory legal procedures before making the arrest in a case carrying a relatively minor maximum sentence. The defense also maintained that there was no evidence that the incident had caused communal tension or that Sheikh had intended to offend Hindu religious beliefs.
The order has attracted widespread attention as it requires a member of India’s Muslim minority to perform service at a Hindu place of worship as part of the conditions for his release, prompting debate over the appropriateness of imposing religion-based bail conditions.
Reacting to the order, Student Federation of India (SFI) leader Ushasi said it was inconsistent with West Bengal’s long tradition of communal harmony and shared participation in religious festivals. She said people from different faiths had historically taken part in one another’s cultural and religious events, accusing Hindutva groups of attempting to communalize such practices.
