India, a land of immense cultural heritage and spiritual richness, is home to over 1.4 billion people who take immense pride in their tradition and religious beliefs. India is a secular nation with people worshipping different gods as per their beliefs and the same is been provided under Article 25 of the Indian Constitution which guarantees the right to conscience, practice and profess religion. For Indians religion is not merely a personal practice but an intrinsic part of their daily lives, influencing festivals, rituals and even social norms.

The confluence of diverse religious practices and philosophies has profoundly shaped the country's ethos, making it a beacon of faith and devotion. In India, VIP's or any authoritative Indian is treated very differently from the rest of the citizens in a public place which some or the other way is discriminative towards the citizens. Article 15 and 21 of the Indian Constitution talks about the prohibition of discrimination and right to life and personal liberty respectively. This article would particularly focus upon the violation of article 15 and 21 with respect to the VIP darshans being practiced across every temple.

VIP Darshan: A Practice of Discrimination

Temples such as Kashi Vishwanath, Vaishnodevi are some of the very famous temples in India which are visited by more than lakhs of people each month. These lakhs of people wait for hours in long queues every day just to get a glimpse of their God/Goddess for even less than a minute but this isn't the case with the privileged ones. They don't have to wait in long queues, they have their special entries for the darshan known as VIP darshan, in which one will be getting to see the glimpse of their God/Goddess for longer time as compared to the common people standing in long queues for hours.

By granting privileged access to individuals based upon wealth, social status or political influence, temple create a hierarchy that contradicts the inclusive ethos of religious worship. This preferential treatment marginalizes ordinary devotees, who are often left waiting for hours in long queues while others bypass these lines due to their perceived importance.

Such practices disproportionately affect economically weaker sections and those who lack social or political clout, perpetuating inequality within sacred spaces that should ideally promote unity and humility. This discrimination is particularly stark in places of worship, where the divine is believed to be accessible to all, irrespective of their social or financial standings. Moreover, VIP entries often disrupt the smooth flow of temple activities, creating logistic challenges and further inconveniencing regular devotees.

How Article 14 Enshrines Equality in Worship

Article 14 of the Indian Constitution guarantees that all individuals are equal before the law and are entitled to equal protection of law. This fundamental right permeates all facets of public places, including religious practices. In the context of temple worship, Article 14 guarantees each and every devotee irrespective of their socio-economic status, has an equal opportunity to access and participate in religious rituals. Temples, as public institutions are duty bound to uphold this constitutional mandate and provide equality to all the worshippers.

VIP darshan at temples violates the right guaranteed under Article 14 by creating a class-based hierarchy among the devotees within a space that should ideally promote spiritual equality. This practice favors some individuals sidelining the majority which degrades the vision of Article 14 as enshrined under the Indian Constitution. This is a clear discrimination based upon one's political influence, financial condition and social status.

Every devotee is treated equally by the God irrespective of its socio-economic condition, then who are we to discriminate among them in a place devoted to God? Thus, VIP darshan clearly goes against the vision of Article 14 and it should be stopped in a religious place where equality should be promoted.

Dignity and Liberty Under Article 21: A Devotees Right

Article 21 of the Indian Constitution guarantees the right to life and personal liberties, which includes right to live with dignity. Dignity in literal sense means the importance and value that a person has, that makes other people respect them or makes them respect themselves. The concept of dignity is central to a devotees experience in a place of worship where ideally everyone should be treated with dignity and equality. However, giving preferential treatment to selected individuals violates the principle of Article 21 by creating an atmosphere of exclusion and subjugation. When common devotees are given secondary treatment in a place of worship where every devotee is equal before God, dignity is said to be compromised.

Moreover, the liberty to worship freely and without discrimination is intrinsic to the right of personal liberty. The havoc created; delay caused due to VIP darshan disrupts the personal liberty of common devotees in the said place of worship. Article 21 thus demands that temples provide an environment where every individual dignity and liberty are upheld, ensuring that all devotees can worship freely and equally without interference or discrimination.
 
Judicial Observation
A petition was filed in Supreme Court challenging the rising practice of "VIP darshan" and "paid darshan" across every temple in India by Vijay Kishor Goswami. Recently, a division bench comprising Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice P.V. Sanjay Kumar has decided to hear the said petition and the bench feels that the issue needs to be examined deeply. It would be interesting to watch the further proceedings and the understanding of the court in the said filed petition.

Conclusion
The word 'VIP: Very Important Person' is nowhere defined in law as a term. Hence, the legality of it can be question of law before the Hon'ble Court. This practice discriminates against the common devotees and goes against the principles of Article 14 and 21 which guarantees the right to equality and right to live with dignity respectively. It is the right of each and every individual to be treated equally and with dignity in a public place such as a worship place i.e. temples. It would further be clarified by the Supreme Court when it will be hearing the petition filed challenging the practice of VIP darshan and paid darshan. Let's keep a close look onto the said petition proceedings!