09-18-2007, 12:19 AM
<b>NGO withdraws petiton for stopping Ram Lila at Red Fort</b><!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->New Delhi, September 17: A petition seeking to stop the staging of Ram Lila in front of the Red Fort during the Dusshera festival has been withdrawn by an NGO after the Delhi High Court said the event would not harm the monument.
<b>"The staging of Ram Lila or for that matter burning of the effigy of Ravana is not going to affect the Lal Quila," a division bench of Justices T S Thakur and Veena Birbal said, making it clear that such "frivolous" public interest litigations (PILs) would not be entertained.</b>
The court, cautioning the NGO, said, "Either you withdraw your petition or we will dismiss the petition by imposing heavy cost on you.
<b>"You will have to tolerate these things, related to the faith of many people, which are going on for last 50-odd years,"</b> the bench said in a recent order, prompting NGO Heritage and Cultural Forum (HACF) to withdraw its petition.
The NGO, on the basis of news reports, had filed the PIL, seeking a direction to the city government and civic authorities that they be asked<b> not to allow the staging of Ram Lila during the Dusshera festival on the ground in front of the Red Fort.</b>
It alleged that Ram Lila followed by buring of effigies of Ravana and others would cause irreparable damage to the monument.
<b>Such activities were banned by authorities for over five years and the recent go-ahead, given by authorities to the Ram Lila committee,</b> was in blatant violation of the apex court's directives which seek to conserve such national monuments.
The court, however, declined to allow the plea<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
FYI. This forum is supported by Ambika Soni/Congress
<b>"The staging of Ram Lila or for that matter burning of the effigy of Ravana is not going to affect the Lal Quila," a division bench of Justices T S Thakur and Veena Birbal said, making it clear that such "frivolous" public interest litigations (PILs) would not be entertained.</b>
The court, cautioning the NGO, said, "Either you withdraw your petition or we will dismiss the petition by imposing heavy cost on you.
<b>"You will have to tolerate these things, related to the faith of many people, which are going on for last 50-odd years,"</b> the bench said in a recent order, prompting NGO Heritage and Cultural Forum (HACF) to withdraw its petition.
The NGO, on the basis of news reports, had filed the PIL, seeking a direction to the city government and civic authorities that they be asked<b> not to allow the staging of Ram Lila during the Dusshera festival on the ground in front of the Red Fort.</b>
It alleged that Ram Lila followed by buring of effigies of Ravana and others would cause irreparable damage to the monument.
<b>Such activities were banned by authorities for over five years and the recent go-ahead, given by authorities to the Ram Lila committee,</b> was in blatant violation of the apex court's directives which seek to conserve such national monuments.
The court, however, declined to allow the plea<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
FYI. This forum is supported by Ambika Soni/Congress