Don’t always portray religious processions as cause of riots, says Supreme Court
The court made the comment while dismissing a plea seeking directions to regulate such processions and issue a standard operating procedure for organising them.
The Supreme Court on Friday remarked that religious processions should not always be portrayed as cause of riots, Live Law reported.
A bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justice PS Narsimha made the comment while rejecting a petition seeking directions to regulate such processions and issue a standard operating procedure for organising them.
“Why do we always want to portray that religious festivals are the time for riots?” Chnadrachud questioned. “Let us look at the good which happens in country. See Maharashtra during Ganesh Puja lakhs gather but there are no riots.”
The judges also held that the directions sought in the petition are not judicially manageable as maintaining law and order at religious processions is a State subject, Bar and Bench reported.
“Kashmir to Kanyakumari, the issues are different...How can this court monitor this?” the judges asked.
Senior Advocate CU Singh, appearing for the petitioner, argued that only the Supreme Court could take actions to prevent violene at religious gatherings.
“Today people are holding processions brandishing weapons, swords, firearms...” he said, adding that the authorities do not follow advisories issued by the Union home ministry, Live Law reported.
However, the judges reiterated that the court cannot be dragged into every aspect of law and order.