The Indian Supreme Court’s refusal on March 25 to accept a petition seeking the setting up of a body to monitor Christian missionaries’ activities throughout India has been welcomed by Chotebhai, convener of the Indian Catholic Forum.
The Catholic laity forum’s leader said, “Undoubtedly it is a good directive.” It is worthy to mention that the petition was filed by a majority religious Council of India.
The Apex Court’s Justices Indira Banerjee and A S Bopanna strictly warned the petitioner that it would impose a high amount of fines and added that such acts cause disharmony in the country.
After this, the lawyer agreed to withdraw the petition and the court dismissed it. The petition put forward by advocate Jaya Sukin had argued earlier that there were high incidents of religious conversions.
It may be recalled that earlier the Madras High Court, Tamil Nadu state, south India, had refused to entertain the plea and stated that the jurisdiction lay with the state and there already exists a law in place against forcible conversions.
Chotebhai, the convener of the Indian Catholic Forum who was the former national president of the All India Catholic Union welcomed the Supreme Court’s directive including the stern warning of an imposition of a heavy fine for filing a malicious accusation.
(With input from Atanu Das)
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