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SC decries tendency to equate religious processions with communal riots

Urges to look at the good which happens because of religious festivals

PTI10_13_2022_000091A

Dismissing a PIL (public interest litigation) that sought a standard operating procedure for regulating religious processions, the Supreme Court, on Friday, observed that not all such processions would lead to communal riots.

According to Bar and Bench, an apex court bench of Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud and Justice P.S. Narasimha, warned against the tendency to equate every religious procession with communal riots.

"Why do we always want to portray that religious festivals are the time for riots," the court asked, and urged the petitioner to look at the good which happens in the country because of religious festivals. 

"See Maharashtra during Ganesh Puja lakhs gather but there are no riots," the court said.

The court refused to entertain the PIL saying it is a State subject and hence not judicially manageable.

Appearing for the petitioner, senior advocate C.U. Singh contented that only the apex court could do something to end the possible riots during religious processions and gatherings. He argued that sometimes, religious processions are held brandishing weapons like swords.

Refusing to entertain the plea, the court said, "The subject of police is also under the State list, we are not entertaining this. The country is diverse and issues in a district of a State is different than another district and the State can regulate them." 

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