Whom to punish if Lord Ram exiled Sita to forest, asks Bihar court

Patna, Feb 2: As a Bihar court on Monday began hearing of a case against Lord Rama for exiling his wife Sita to forest as Ramayana narrates, it asked the petitioner who should be punished for an incident of such ancient times, a government lawyer said.

"Judge of the court asked the petitioner soon after hearing in the case began, whom should he punish in such an ancient incident?" the lawyer said.

The judge also asked the petitioner why has he filed a case in such an ancient incident and who will be his witness? "You have also not mentioned the date on which Rama ousted Sita and sent her to forest. And what is the basis of complaint," the judge posed, according to the lawyer.

The petitioner said he approached the court to seek justice for Sita. "I am in court, begging for justice to Sita."

The complaint-case was filed against Lord Rama and his brother Lakshman in the court of chief judicial magistrate in Sitamarhi on Saturday by lawyer Thakur Chandan Kumar Singh.

In his petition, Singh said Rama sent Sita to a life in exile in a forest without any fault of her and there was no justification for doing it.

Sita was exiled for no fault of hers. It was hypocritical order of King Rama. How can a man become so cruel towards his wife that he sends her to live in a forest alone? the petitioner said.

The court admitted the case and fixed the hearing for February 1.

"I have filed a case under Section 367/34 and other sections of the IPC, seeking direction of the court for justice to Sita in this regard," Singh said.

He said as per Ramayana, Rama sent Sita to the forest after her purity was questioned by a washerman of his kingdom Ayodhya.

Singh is a resident of Dumri Kala village under Majorganj police station.

"Sita, who was a devoted wife, always fulfilled her duty in good and bad times with her husband. How could such a crime be committed against her? Rama also ignored how could a lonely woman spend time in deep forest," Singh said.

Stating that Sita was daughter of Mithila in Bihar and justice was not done to her by Lord Rama, Singh said the aim of his petition was to seek justice for Sita. "My petition in the court is not to hurt religious sentiments."

IANS