'Jai Shri Ram' slogan inside mosque: How shouting particular religious phrase an offence? Supreme Court asks

Supreme Court questions criminalizing "Jai Shri Ram" slogan inside mosque, challenges Karnataka High Court's order.

The Supreme Court on Monday (December 16, 2024) asked how raising the slogan of "Jai Shri Ram" a criminal offence.

A bench of Justices Pankaj Mithal and Sandeep Mehta made the observation while hearing a plea challenging the Karnataka High Court's order quashing the proceedings against two persons for allegedly shouting "Jai Shri Ram" inside a mosque.

"They were shouting a particular religious phrase or a name. How is that an offence?" asked the bench on the plea filed by the complainant Haydhar Ali C M.

The apex court also questioned the complainant how the persons, who allegedly came inside the mosque and shouted the slogan, were identified.

The plea challenged a September 13 high court court, which quashed the criminal proceedings against two persons in the case.

"How do you identify these respondents? You say they are all under the CCTV," the bench asked senior advocate Devadatt Kamat, who was appearing for the petitioner.

"Who identified the persons who came inside?" the bench asked further.