The State Human Rights Commission member (non-judicial) Kakumanu Peda Peri Reddy refused to admit the petition stating that the body did not have jurisdiction to issue directions to stop the publication of the panchangam as both the writer and publishers were private persons.
The petitioners then approached commission chairman Justice Nisar Ahmad Kakru who asked them to file a review petition. The admissibility of the petition will be decided by an SHRC bench comprising Justice Kakru, members Peda Peri Reddy and M. Rama Rao on Tuesday. Panchangam experts like Mr S.V.V.S.S. Subba Rao attributed the controversy to the elaborate descriptions used by panchangam writers. “Sukru-du is the king of the coming new year, Nandana Nama Samvatsaram. He is the symbol of the arts and romance. Whatever they said is correct as per the shastras but the controversy is over the combination of the words used,” said Mr Rao. “They could have simply said that women would dominate men. They resorted to elaborate descriptions and this didn’t go down well with women,” he explained.
Siddanthi and panchangam expert Raja Rajendra Sharma explained, “Though what is written is correct as per the shastras, it depends on a number of factors. It’s true but its acceptability depends on how well you package it in accordance with changing times,” the siddhanthi explained, adding, “You tell the truth but package it in such a way that it won’t hurt people.”