Debate 101 - Motion 1 (On Liberties and Rights)

Rani Sati Temple is a famous temple located in Jhunjhunu town in the Indian state of Rajasthan. The rani sati temple is a very famous pilgrimage for the locals and rajasthanis all over the world. People from various states visit here every year to offer their pooja to Shri Rani Sati (the goddess). Rani Sati was married to an Agrawal young man Tandhan Das in antiquity, who died in warfare. His young wife became sati. The location of her sacrifice is now marked with the memorial temple in Hissar. Rani Sati ji was the first of thirteen Sati of her community to commit sati. (Wikipedia)


With the continuing prevalence of Sati, a practice that has always been, and continues to be, socially ostracized by the emerging rights-sensitized community, women rights activists as well as social engineers are constantly striving to delegitimise any symbol lending credibility or support to social practices that need to be shunned, especially one of Sati. Their justifications center around the possibility of demagogues borrowing legitimacy from existing symbols and structures to fuel and perpetuate reprehensible social practices; in their view to counter an 'ostensible' assault on indigenous tradition and forms of expression.

However, in the thick of this controversy remains an unresolved sphere of debate as to where lie the limits of the state in banning institutions that symbolize an at best forgettable social construct that was culturally embedded in the Hindu orthodox communities. Between the value of preserving the right of expression and thought as well as the liberty to worship; and the need to address realist concerns about communities deriving support from institutions that passively exist, lies an answer to the question of allowing institutions to remain that represent existing or historic social constructs.

Would you allow a temple to remain accessible to worshipers, knowing that the goddess became a goddess because she committed Sati? Would this temple indeed further encourage Sati? What is the value of the right to express or worship? What are the circumstances wherein the state can curb this right? Even if this does symbolize the practice, is there still a value to keeping this temple intact? 

"This house will lock up the Rani Sati Temple in Rajasthan"

• We invite arguments either in support of, or against this motion. Think laterally!
• Mail in your inputs to bsd.nlsiu@gmail.com. 
• We will put up the arguments in support of the motion after three days. After that, we will post the responses to those arguments. 
• In exactly a week from now, we will present our own views and point out errors in argumentation, and of course, commend interesting inputs.
• Do let everyone interested know of this! Mail your clarifications to us anytime.
• If you do send an entry, don't forget to mention your name, school and class!

We look forward to an engaging debate and an encouraging participation.

Cheers!