Do you want to keep the country on the boil: SC slams BJP leader

Divide and rule policy of British brought about schism in our society ... Let us not bring that back. Do not drag a religion into this -- Justice B.V. Nagarathna

NT Correpondent

New Delhi: The Supreme Court made some ster n remarks while dismissing BJP leader and lawyer Ashwini Upadhyay’s plea on renaming cities and historical places which he claimed were named after “barbaric foreign invaders”. A bench of Justices K.M. Joseph and B.V. Nagarathna said Upadhyay’s plea went against the principle of secularism enshrined in the Constitution.

“We are secular and supposed to protect the Constitution. You are concerned about the past, and dig it up to place its burden on present generation. Each thing you do in this manner will create more disharmony,” the judges said. Justice Joseph said Upadhyay was studying the past selectively and targeting only Muslim rulers.

“You are relooking at the past selectively. India is today a secular country. Your fingers being pointed at a particular community, termed barbaric. Do you want to keep the country on the boil?” he said. Hinduism, which Upadhyay is claiming to protect, does not allow for bigotry, the judges continued.

“Perhaps Hinduism is greatest religion in terms of metaphysics. Please do not belittle it. The world looks to us always. Even today. I can say, I am a Christian but am equally fond of Hinduism and have tried to study it. Try and understand its greatness. Do not use it for a particular purpose,” Justice Joseph said. “That is why it a way of life, does not allow bigotry,” Justice Nagarathna added.

She continued that there were many unaddressed problems that India had, and those should be focused on: “Our country has so many problem to attend to … Hinduism is a way of life, because of that India has assimilated everybody. Because of that we are able to live together. Divide and rule policy of British brought about schism in our society … Let us not bring that back. Do not drag a religion into this.”