A week or so back, a court dismissed a public interest litigation. It was no landmark judgment in that sense. But it had a message for many morally-upright people in this hallowed land. The Delhi High Court on July 29 dismissed two petitions that sought a stay on the reality show Sach Ka Saamna. The court was clear in what it said, "Our culture is not so fragile that it would be affected by one TV programme." The point is not whether the reality show is good, bad, or ugly. But why many in this country have this innate, burning desire to play the moral police. The problem is compounded by the fact that there are many shades of these morally-condescending lot. Either they indulge in rampant, wanton violence. Like ransacking art galleries. Like tearing apart film theatres. Or, they go to court. You know, like very urbane, urban people. After all, they can take recourse to archaic sections that still lurk in the Indian Penal Code.

It becomes slightly trying for a blog that stands for freedom of expression to defend religion in any way or on any count. Given the backdrop that most attacks on freedom of expression both in India (primarily from the Hindu right) and cross the world (primarily from the Islamic right) come from those steeped in religion. And, of course, it is ironical that an unrepentant atheist has to write all about it. The other day there was a report in the Hindustan Times about the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) advocating the restriction of religious and spiritual television channels.

Now human rights bodies have to intervene in temple matters. The Kerala State Human Rights Commission has asked the Travancore Devaswom Board to allow male employees at Lord Ayyappa temple to wear underwear while counting currency notes and coins offered by devotees. All these days, the staff at the hill shrine of Sabarimala had to strip themselves of all clothing, except their dhotis, before entering the counting chamber. The temple authorities enforced this practice after they found that money was being smuggled out, concealed in the undergarments. Some details from the Asia News International (ANI) story: The Kerala State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) has asked the Travancore Devaswom Board to withdraw the dress code that barred staff employees who are trusted with counting money at the shrine from wearing underwear. More than 600 employees engaged in counting currency notes and coins offered by devotees will benefit from Justice N Dhinakar's order.

The Delhi High Court has dismissed criminal proceedings against MF Husain, overruling the charges of obscenity against his paintings. The cases against him were filed in Indore, Rajkot and Pandharpur. Some details from NDTV (May 8): It was his Nude paintings of Hindu gods and goddesses as well as Bharat Mata that created a furor resulting in several threats from right wing Hindu groups like VHP, Shiv Sena, Bajrangdal and the Hindu Jan Jagriti Samiti. Three other cases are still pending against the painter, so this is only a temporary relief. Hussain, 92-year-old has been living virtually in exile in Dubai since 2006, following a series of threats and several court cases that were filed against him. Cases were all transferred to Delhi late last year as per Supreme Court directive. What the judge had to say, according to Hindustan Times: