Priest’s remarks on Bharat Mata prima facie promote enmity, says HC

‘The words are provocative and reek of malice and supremacism’

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Friday held that certain remarks made by Priest George Ponniah on Bharat Mata at a meeting in Arumanai in Kanniyakumari district prima facie amounted to deliberate/malicious act intended to outrage religious feelings promoting enmity.

Justice G.R. Swaminathan observed that the Earth was worshipped as Bhooma Devi. She took the form of Bharat Mata. He said there was absolutely no need to mount a visceral attack on the religious beliefs of the Hindus.