Wanted to raise concern on future of secularism: SC judge

Supreme Court Judge Justice Kurian Joseph, who has raised objections with Chief Justice of India H L Dattu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi over holding of a three-day long judges conference during holy weekend for Christians, today said he only wanted to raise the "serious concern" about secularism in India.

When contacted by PTI, Justice Kurien Joseph, who was attending religious services with family members at his ancestral home in nearby Kaladi, said he was sad as a section of media was treating the issue "wrongly" missing the core issue.

"I only wanted to raise the serious concern--the future of secularism in this great country-- (which required consideration of appropriate authorities). Nothing personal between me or anybody (on this issue). But I am sad that it has been projected wrongly by a section of media, missing the core issue," he said.

Justice Joseph has declined to attend the Prime Minister's dinner for top judges tonight on the ground that the event and the ongoing judges' conference clashed with Good Friday and Easter weekend.

Justice Joseph will leave for New Delhi after Easter celebrations tomorrow evening.
Meanwhile, Justice K T Thomas, former judge of Supreme Court, said that there was nothing wrong in convening a meeting of Chief Justices on Good Friday.

"It is not a meeting of judges. It is the meeting of Chief Justices of the country. There is only one Christian Chief Justice and he is Chief Justice of Uttaranchal Justice K M Joseph. He has no objection," Thomas told PTI today.
Not only that Chief Justices Conference in 2007 was held on Good Friday, Thomas said.

"Public duty should come first," Thomas said.
"If a Christian doctor says that he would not attend an emergency case because it is a Good Friday. Similarly, if a Christian top police officer says that he would not attend duty on Good Friday, what will happen," Thomas asked.

"Public duty must come first," he added.
Thomas also said that in a country like the US where the majority of the population is Christian, Good Friday is not even a holiday.