Opposition to the public interest litigation (PIL) seeking admission of non-Zoroastrians to Delhi’s Kaikhushru Pallonji Katrak Dar-e-Meher (pictured) is mounting. A delegation led by Delhi Parsi Anjuman (DPA) president Ava Khullar met the Delhi Minorities Commission (DMC) on January 2, 2019. Dastur Khurshed Dastoor, Zoroastrian representative on the National Commission for Minorities, Bombay Parsi Punchayet chairman Yazdi Desai, and trustees Kersi Randeria, Viraf Mehta and Xerxes Dastur were also said to have met government officials.
The DMC "assured (the delegation) of all possible help, gave them advice on how to protect their fire temples and expressed readiness to file an affidavit in the court or become a party to the case, if needed,” reported The New Indian Express of January 8. Commission leader Zafarul-Islam Khan termed the petition "vicious,” according to the news report.
The DPA is taking legal advice and seeking other assistance to challenge the petition. The next hearing is scheduled for April.
The December 19, 2018 PIL filed in the Delhi High Court (DHC) by 44-year-old advocate Sanjjiiv Kkumaar sought permission for entry of all faiths into places of worship of all religions. Kkumaar’s 10-part prayer has asked the DHC to direct the DPA "to ensure that menstruating/non-menstruating women of any religion can pray at the sanctum sanctorum of the Zoroastrian fire temple in DPA” and to declare the "practice of prohibition of men and women of any religion for their entry inside the sanctum sanctorum… to be illegal and unconstitutional.” The plea also calls for "sufficient police protection to any Indian” wishing to pray at the fire temple and requests DHC to declare the act of non-ordination of women as Zoroastrian priests to be held unconstitutional. Other clauses of the prayer are in connection with practices in sister communities.
The DHC bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and V. K. Rao on December 21 sought the response of the DPA, central government, the state government led by the Aam Aadmi Party, and the police on Kkumaar’s PIL, according to a report in The Times of India dated December 22.
An earlier petition by Kkumaar in 2018 "to end discriminatory religious practices in all religions” was dismissed as he had not indicated in that appeal which temple fell within the jurisdiction of the DHC. On November 2, when Kkumaar reached the Dar-e-Meher, he was denied entry, and was shown a sign at the entrance of the holy fire temple that read "Zoroastrian Fire Temple, Admission to Zoroastrians only,” states the petition. Kkumaar stated that he "felt humiliated” as this denial was "akin to the practice of apartheid and untouchability,” thereby violative of the Constitution of India.