A unique case arising from a conflict of faith and belief has reached the Uttarakhand High Court, where Poonam, a Hindu woman, sought divorce from her husband on the grounds that he is an atheist and does not follow religious customs.
The wife stated that her husband, Bhuvan Chandra Sanwal, and his in-laws are followers of self-proclaimed saint Rampal and do not follow any Hindu traditions, even though she is a religious woman and wishes to perform religious rituals. The woman alleged that after marriage, she was asked to remove the temple from the house and even pack up the idols of deities and place them outside. Furthermore, when it came time to perform the naming ceremony for their son, her husband refused, saying that such rituals are not permitted in his spiritual path. Unable to compromise on her religious beliefs, the woman filed for divorce in the Family Court in Nainital, but her petition was rejected.
