Judgment

CHINNAPPA REDDY, J. (Minority view):- I have the good fortune of having before me the scholarly judgment of my brother Misra J., I agree with my brother Misra J., that the writ petitions must fail. With much that he has said, also, I agree. But with a little, to my own lasting regret, I do not agree. It is, therefore, proper for me to explain the points of my disagreement.

2. Quite a considerable part of the hearing of the petitions was devoted to a debate on the question, what is Religion? Religion : Everyone has a religion, or at least, a view or a window on religion, be he a bigot or simple believer, philosopher or pedestrian, atheist or agnostic Religion, like democracy and equality is an elusive expression, which everyone understands according to his preconceptions. What is religion to some is pure dogma to others and what is religion to others is pure superstition to some others. Karl Marx in his contribution to the Critique of Hegels Philosophy of Law described religion as the Opium of the People. He said further "Basically religion is a very convenient sanctuary for bourgeois thought to flee to in times of stress". Bertrand Russell, in his essay Why I am not a Christ