A Hindu organisation moved the Supreme Court on Monday seeking a direction to several state governments to punish those who recently attacked Ram Navami processions, prevent recurrence in future, and pay compensation to injured devotees and for damage to properties.
Citing ‘precedence’
In April 2022, hearing a petition filed by journalist Qurban Ali, the SC had directed Delhi Police to take action against alleged hate speech mongers at the ‘dharam sansad’ in Delhi.
Now, Lucknow-based NGO Hindu Front for Justice has moved an application in the Qurban Ali petition saying that SC “must take stern action in the matter in issue so that in future Hindus may celebrate religious functions as per customs in a peaceful manner”.
A compensation policy
The petitioner said the compensation for injuries to devotees and for damage to properties paid by the state must be recovered from the arsonists after due verification and registering FIRs against the hooligans.
It requested the SC to direct all states to scrupulously implement the guidelines against hate crime laid down by the SC in 2018 in the Tehseen Poonawala case.
A complaint
The petitioner alleged a ‘growing tendency’ among states not to permit Hindu religious processions through Muslim-dominated areas on the apprehension that it could trigger communal violence.
It cited Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee’s case in SC saying her government refused permission to deny peaceful Hindu religious processions through “areas dominated by Muslims”.
A ground
Arguing that there is no area such as ‘Muslim-dominated’ one, the petitioner said every citizen has the right to take out religious procession through public roads in a peaceful manner.
Timing
The petition comes against large scale violence during Ram Navami processions in Bengal, Bihar, Telangana, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Jharkhand. “The Muslim mob attacked, committed arson, damaged the vehicles, pelted stones, assaulted Hindu devotees taking out the Ram Navami religious processions,” it alleged.
Citing ‘precedence’
In April 2022, hearing a petition filed by journalist Qurban Ali, the SC had directed Delhi Police to take action against alleged hate speech mongers at the ‘dharam sansad’ in Delhi.
Now, Lucknow-based NGO Hindu Front for Justice has moved an application in the Qurban Ali petition saying that SC “must take stern action in the matter in issue so that in future Hindus may celebrate religious functions as per customs in a peaceful manner”.
A compensation policy
The petitioner said the compensation for injuries to devotees and for damage to properties paid by the state must be recovered from the arsonists after due verification and registering FIRs against the hooligans.
It requested the SC to direct all states to scrupulously implement the guidelines against hate crime laid down by the SC in 2018 in the Tehseen Poonawala case.
A complaint
The petitioner alleged a ‘growing tendency’ among states not to permit Hindu religious processions through Muslim-dominated areas on the apprehension that it could trigger communal violence.
It cited Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee’s case in SC saying her government refused permission to deny peaceful Hindu religious processions through “areas dominated by Muslims”.
A ground
Arguing that there is no area such as ‘Muslim-dominated’ one, the petitioner said every citizen has the right to take out religious procession through public roads in a peaceful manner.
Timing
The petition comes against large scale violence during Ram Navami processions in Bengal, Bihar, Telangana, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Jharkhand. “The Muslim mob attacked, committed arson, damaged the vehicles, pelted stones, assaulted Hindu devotees taking out the Ram Navami religious processions,” it alleged.
