The society-at-large has been raising a pertinent question that has assumed much social relevance after H. Farooq was hacked to death on March 16 in Coimbatore for practicing ‘no religion’ and being a ‘non-believer’.

Are religion and caste identities a compulsory tagline to every Indian? Don’t we have a right to practice ‘no religion?’ Is the column in every application form – be it for school admission or death certificate – asking your religion and caste any longer relevant in the 21st century? These are the questions that might pop up in every one’s mind, now and then. But the answers always seemed far to seek.

A Hyderabad- based couple D.V. Ramakrishna Rao and his wife S. Clarence Krupalini took this fight to courts . They have filed a Public Interest Litigation in Telangana High Court praying why filling up such column demanding one’s religion be made optional. The court, for its part, has sent out notices to Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Central Governments asking them to respond in two weeks’ time.

“Ours is a love marriage. We both belong to different religion and communities. While my wife practices Christianity, I am a non- believer. We have decided to raise our two children as rational beings, belonging to no caste and no religion,” says Ramakrishna.

When the couple put their daughter in a school in 2010 there was the ‘religion’ column – which needed to be filled compulsorily. Despite their protests and complaints to the Chief Educational Officer and State Human Rights Commission, they had to abide by the rules then.

“If you don’t fill up the column, we will not be in a position to issue a transfer certificate to your child,” was the reply they got from the School Principal then.

After this, they immediately moved a writ petition in the Andhra Pradesh High Court. “I have also learnt from legal luminaries that the right to religion means right to not practice any religion too as per the Indian Constitution.”
“My wife and I come from different religious and caste backgrounds. While my wife believes in religion and practices Christianity, I don’t believe in any religion. After marriage, we thought that we will raise our children in a democratic, rational, and non-religious way, without the confines of caste and religious beliefs,” says Ramakrishna.

While Ramakrishna is very much conscious of the caste and religion-based reservations in the country, he says, “we wholeheartedly support the reservation system. All we are asking is one more column so that whoever does not want to identify with any religion is able to select that option. That is our constitutional right.”

“What all I need is support from fellow human beings. It’s a democratic demand. Our non-faith should be respected too. Let us collectively take up this fight – this is not a question of believers and non-believers. Even though my wife is a believer she supports my stand as a non-believer. I am expecting the same thing from society.”

Interestingly Ramakrishna has also started an online petition to take the message of “not practicing any religion” to the people and bring a welcome change in their tradition-bound lives of Indians.