The Delhi High Court on Friday said that attacks on religious places shakes human conscience of all and such practices should be stopped.”This is something which shakes the human conscience and agitate all of us. There should not be any attack of any kind on any religious places,” Justice Siddharth Mridul said.
The court’s oral observation was made during hearing of a plea seeking protection of religious rights of Christians and a “court-monitored SIT probe” into the recent attacks on the churches in the national capital.
The court, however, turned down the petitioner Reegan S Bell’s request for SIT probe, saying the same cannot be ordered by this bench and has to be referred to another bench which adjudicates on public interest litigation.
“The reliefs sought in this petition are not personal to him. This has to be heard by the division bench. I wish I could have appointed the SIT but I cannot do that. “List this matter for direction before the division bench headed by the Chief Justice. Chief Justice (G Rohini) should look into the matter and issue some direction,” the court said, adding that it is an “important matter”.
The matter has been fixed before the division bench on April 29. The petitioner, an advocate who is a Christian, prayed that the SIT should comprise members of the minority community or the National Minority Commission.
He has also sought a status report from the Centre, Delhi government and city police on the action taken by them regarding the attacks and efforts made by them to secure these places against such incidents in future.
The central government’s standing counsel Anil Soni, appearing for the Home Ministry, opposed the plea, saying the petitioner’s plea was a “communal petition”.
