All in the name of God!

From the other end of the spectrum, heres a sensible and correct decision

Times of India Report

Taking oath in Allah's name is okay: SC

NEW DELHI: God has many names and an MP or MLA can take oath in the name of 'Allah', 'Ishwar' or 'Deva', said the Supreme Court on Monday rejecting a plea to disqualify a few MLAs who had taken oath in the name of 'Allah' instead of 'God' as mentioned in the Constitution.

But no human being, howsoever venerated he may be, could be elevated to the position of God for the purpose of taking oath, the court clarified.

A bench comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justice R V Raveendran said this while dismissing a petition filed by Madhu Parumala, Kerala unit vice-president of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, seeking disqualification of 11 Kerala MLAs on the ground that they had taken their oath in the name of Allah last year.

He said Article 188 of the Constitution and its 3rd Schedule provides for the members of the legislature and constitutional functionaries to take oath in the name of God or, in the case of atheists, the Constitution.

The petitioner contended that the Constitution mentioned only 'God' and therefore the 11 MLAs had veered from the 3rd Schedule when they took the oath swearing by Allah.

The bench did not agree. "If an elected representative cannot read English and the oath has to be translated into his mother tongue, the word 'God' has also to be translated and it could be 'Ishwar' or 'Deva'. 'Allah' in Arabic means the same. So what is the problem if the MLAs took the oath in the name of Allah?" it asked.

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This is a correct decision and one that should shut a lot of idle minds and big mouths. Its a pity they didn't fine or charge the petitioner. Too bad.