New Delhi:Hinduism not only treats women as equals, but also places them on a pedestal much higher than men, the Centre has told the Supreme Court while defending its stand in the ongoing hearing in the Sabarimala case.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta presented the Centre's case before a nine-judge Constitution bench, which is hearing petitions relating to discrimination against women at religious places, including Kerala's Sabarimala temple.

Mehta cited examples of several temples across the country where men's entry is restricted as part of longstanding religious customs. He mentioned the Brahma temple in Pushkar, where married men are not allowed, and the Kerala temple where men cross-dress to seek the goddess's blessings.

The Solicitor General argued that the 2018 Sabarimala judgment, which lifted the temple ban on the entry of women in the 10-50 years age group, was based on an assumption that men are superior. This, he said, does not reflect the broader practices within Hindu traditions.

Source:Ndtv