Jai Shri Ram in Mosque: The Supreme Court is set to decide on a case challenging the Karnataka High Court’s decision to grant relief to individuals accused of chanting “Jai Shri Ram” inside a mosque.
The petition alleges that on September 24, 2023, a group of miscreants entered the Badriya Jama Masjid in Aithoor village and began chanting “Jai Shri Ram.” They also allegedly issued threats, claiming that Muslims would not be allowed to live in peace.
The Karnataka High Court had previously dismissed criminal proceedings against these individuals, reasoning that such actions did not hurt religious sentiments. This ruling has now been contested in the Supreme Court, which is scheduled to hear the matter today.
The petition claims that the incident created fear among the Muslim community, as the chants were raised inside the mosque. The petitioner also argues that unlawful entry and such slogans can be considered as acts likely to incite communal tensions.
Initially, a police complaint was filed, leading to the arrest of two individuals, who were later released on bail. On November 29, 2022, the High Court stayed the trial court proceedings, and on September 13, 2023, it further granted relief to the accused.
The petitioner, Haider Ali, contends that the High Court erred in quashing the proceedings because the police investigation was incomplete, and sufficient evidence had not been presented in court. The petition emphasizes that entering a mosque without authorization and chanting communal slogans constitutes a criminal offense.
The plea further states, “Given that the incident occurred inside a mosque, putting the lives of Muslims at risk, the High Court should have allowed the police to complete their investigation before issuing interim orders.”
The petition, filed through Advocate Javedur Rahman, will be heard today by a bench comprising Justice Pankaj Mittal and Justice Sandeep Mehta.
