SC relief to priest
The Supreme Court on Friday stayed criminal proceedings and summons against a priest, who claimed that Christianity was the only true religion.
A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta issued notice to the Uttar Pradesh Government on a plea of Reverend Father Vineet Vincent Pereira challenging the March 18 order of the Allahabad High Court for quashing criminal proceedings against him.
Senior advocate Siddharth Dave, appearing for the priest, said police have invoked section 295A of the IPC, which deals with deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings.
The bench said it is issuing notice on the plea seeking the Uttar Pradesh Government’s response.
Dave said criminal proceedings and summons issued against him shall be stayed. The bench agreed to the request and stayed the proceedings.
On March 18, the Allahabad High Court, while dismissing the plea of Father Pereira, observed that claiming a particular religion to be the “only true religion” is wrong in a secular country like India and may amount to disparaging other faiths, thereby attracting provisions of law.
It said such statements prima facie fall within the ambit of Section 295A of the IPC, which deals with deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings.
“It is wrong for any religion to claim that it is the only true religion as it implies a disparagement of other faiths,” the order said.
According to the FIR lodged by Uttar Pradesh police, the applicant allegedly held prayer meetings where he repeatedly stated that Christianity was the only true religion, which hurt the sentiments of members of another community.
