On Friday, the Supreme Court refused to entertain a petition filed by Hindu activist group – Hindu Dharma Parishad seeking to establish a board to make surveillance and monitor the activities of Christian Missionaries in the country.
According to the reports, a Supreme Court bench comprising Justices Indira Banerjee and AS Bopanna dismissed the petition filed by Hindu Dharma Parishad, citing Madras High Court’s order.
In its petition in the top court against the high court order, the petitioner argued that for the last few years, some anti-social elements and anti-nationals are forcibly converting people from Hinduism to other religions, especially Christianity.
However, the court did not entertain the plea and rejected the petition.
The petition was filed in response to the order passed by the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on public interest litigation seeking a direction to the Centre and others, including the state of Tamil Nadu, to establish a board for surveillance and monitoring the activities of the Christian missionaries.
The Madras High Court had earlier noted that the plea cannot be entertained as the jurisdiction lies within the state and there was an act in place that provides for prohibition of conversion from one religion to another by the use of force or allurement or by fraudulent means.
On March 31, 2021, the Madras High Court had also dismissed the PIL saying, “The prayer as sought for cannot be granted, as it is not for the Court to issue appropriate orders in this regard since it lies within the jurisdiction of the state. However, the learned Special Government Pleader produced a copy of Act 56 of 2002, which provides for prohibition of conversion from one religion to another by the use of force or allurement or by fraudulent means and for matters incidental thereto.
Based on the observation of the Madras High Court, the Supreme Court said that the writ petition filed by Hindu Dharma Parishad stands disposed of accordingly.
