Supreme Court To Hear Plea To Stop Attacks Against Christians On July 15

The Supreme Court on Monday adjourned the petition preferred Archbishop Of Bangalore Diocese Dr. Peter Machado along with the National Solidarity Forum, the Evangelical Fellowship of India seeking directions to stop the attack against Christian communities and their institutions in the country for Friday (July 15, 2022) The matter was listed before the division bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and AS Bopanna. When the matter was taken up, Senior Advocate Colin Gonsalves for the petitioners submitted that nearly 505 attacks had taken place against the community in 2021. Considering Senior Counsel's submissions, Justice DY Chandrachud the presiding judge of the bench adjourned the plea for Friday since the papers related to the plea were not circulated. "Mr Gonsalves, this also was not circulated. We will take it up on Friday," Justice Chandrachud said. According to the petitioners, they have filed the present PIL against the "sinister phenomena of violence" and "targeted hate speech" against the Christian community of the country by vigilante groups and members of right-wing organizations. It is the petitioners' case that such violence has been rising owing to the failure of the State machinery to protect its own citizens. The petitioners have argued that there is failure by the Central and State Governments and other State machineries in taking immediate and necessary actions against groups that have caused widespread violence and hate speech against the Christian community including attacks at their places of worship and other institutions run by them. Directions Sought: The petition has sought setting up of Special Investigation Teams with officers from outside the States where the incidents set out to register FIRs, conduct criminal investigations and prosecute the criminal offenders in accordance with law Further directions have been sought to the SITs to file closure reports in accordance with law, where false counter FIRs have been filed by the assailants against the victims. The petitioners have sought directions for an order directing each state to provide police protection for prayer meetings, and directing the SITs to identify and prosecute such members of the political/social organizations who conspired and instigated the assaults as described in this petition. The petition has sought further orders directing the State Governments to properly assess the damage caused to property and pay compensation accordingly, and set up a website and make information available on all these trials-state wise relating to instances of communal violence against the Christian community Further directions have been sought to the State Governments to pay compensation to all members of the victim community who were illegally arrested, and prosecute police officials who fail in their constitutionally mandated duty to enforce the law of the land, by being complicit in attacks against religious minorities, and by shielding the attackers or otherwise scuttling due process of law. The petitioners rely upon the directions issued by the Supreme Court in 2018 to control mob lynching in the Tehseen Poonawalla case. Click Here To Read/Download Order

Supreme Court To Hear Plea To Stop Attacks Against Christians On July 15

Shruti Kakkar

Tags