CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Tuesday directed the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment (HR&CE) to file a counter to a petition seeking to remove white marble idols of Shirdi Sai Baba from all the Hindu temples, stating that it was against the Agamas principles.

The first division bench of acting Chief Justice R Mahadevan and Justice Mohammed Shaffiq heard the petition moved by D Suresh Babu who claimed he was a Shaivite seeking direction to ensure that the HR&CE should not install any more Sai Baba idols in Hindu temples.

The petitioner submitted that since the religious identity of Sai Babu is unknown and he had followers from both Islam and Hinduism, his idols should not be allowed in Hindu temples.

He also submitted that some scriptures had disclosed that Sai Baba uttered the words of Allah and also preached teachings from Islam, hence installing his idol in Hindu temples is against Agamas principles and received scriptures of the Shaivites.

Hence, the petitioner sought the direction of the court to remove all the idols of Sai Baba from Hindu temples, even those not under the control of the HR&CE. He also sought to ensure that the HR&CE would not install the idols in Hindu temples in future. The petitioner submitted that since the religious identity of Sai Babu is unknown and he had followers from both Islam and Hinduism, his idols should not be allowed in Hindu temples.