Every Indian has right to choose their own god: SC rejects ‘Parmatma’ PIL, imposes ₹1L fine
1 min read . Updated: 05 Dec 2022, 05:41 PM IST
PremiumThe fine will make people think at least four times before filing such PILs, Supreme Court judge said
India is a secular country and everyone has the right to follow their religion, the Supreme Court said on Monday while rejecting a petition that wanted all citizens to follow a particular sect of Hinduism - 'Parmatma'. The apex court also imposed an ₹one lakh fine on the petitioner claiming that in the future people will think before filing such a petition.
Pointing out that the plea is "publicity interest litigation", the bench of Justices MR Shah and CT Ravikumar dismissed it asking the petitioner Upendra Nath Dalai, "If you want you can consider him as Paramatma. Why enforce it on others?"
"In India, everyone has full right to follow their religion. You can't say everyone has to follow only one religion," the judge said.
It said that petition is "thoroughly misconceived which deserves to be dismissed with exemplary costs of ₹1 lakh to be deposited with this court's Registry within four weeks from today."
The fine will make people think at least four times before filing such PILs, Justice Shah claimed.
Dismissing the PIL, Justice Shah said, "Aap mano ki ek hi Guruji hain. Aise kabhi hota hain bhaiya? sabko pura adhikar hain ye country mein jisko jo dharam manna hain, maane (You are saying that everyone should accept your Guruji. How can that be. In India everyone has a right to follow their religion)."
The petitioner has made BJP, RSS, VHP, All India Muslim Personal Law Board, National Christian Council, Sri Palanpuri Sthanakvasi Jain Association, Buddhist Society of India, Puri Jagannath Mandir Management Committee, All India Iskon committee, Ramakrishna Math, Gurudwara Bangla Sahib, parties in the case.
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