New Delhi: BJP Member of Parliament (MP) Harnath Singh Yadav has called for the immediate abolition of the Places of Worship Act, 1991, asserting that the legislation infringes upon the religious rights enshrined in the Constitution for Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, and Buddhists. The BJP leader expressed his concerns during the Zero Hour mention in the Rajya Sabha, highlighting the perceived damage to communal harmony caused by the controversial law. 


"Places of Worship Act is completely illogical and unconstitutional. It takes away the religious rights of Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists and Jains under the Constitution. It is also damaging communal harmony in the country. Therefore, I urge the government to immediately repeal this law in the interest of the nation", PTI quoted Harnath as saying.


Harnath Yadav contended that the law violates the principles of equality and secularism provided in the Constitution. He also pointed out that the law prohibits judicial review. "This law also stipulates an illogical cut-off date. This affects the religious rights of Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and Bodhs", Yadav remarked, as per PTI.


The BJP MP also lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remarks that those who remained in power for long after Independence could not understand the significance of places of worship and set a trend of being ashamed of their own culture for political reasons. ALSO READ | Past Govts 'Made Trend Out Of Being Ashamed Of Own Culture': PM Modi's Swipe At Cong In Assam


Notably, the BJP MP's demand comes in the backdrop of the ongoing legal tussle involving the Gyanvapi mosque complex in Varanasi and the Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Eidgah suit in Mathura where the Hindu sides have claimed that existing mosques have been built on Hindu temples and have demanded their restoration, as per PTI.


The legislation prohibits the conversion of any place of worship and provides for the maintenance of the religious character of any place of worship as it existed on August 15, 1947. 


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