SC dismisses with Rs 1 lakh cost PIL to declare Sri Sri Thakurji Anukul Chandra as 'Paramaatma'

In India, everyone has the full right to follow their religion, the court said

The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed an unusual plea for declaring that citizens of the country should follow a religious and spiritual leader, Sri Sri Thakurji Anukul Chandra as 'Paramaatma', with Rs one lakh cost.

“In India, everyone has the full right to follow their religion. India is a secular country. You can’t say everyone has to follow only one religion,” a bench of Justices M R Shah and C T Ravikumar told petitioner, Upendra Nath Dalai.

“If you want, you can consider him as Paramatma. Why enforce it on others," the bench further told the petitioner, while terming his plea as "publicity interest litigation."

Rejecting the plea, the bench told the petitioner, "You are saying that everyone should accept your Guruji. How can that be? In India everyone has a right to follow their religion."

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The petitioner has made BJP, RSS, VHP, All India Muslim Personal Law Board, National Christian Council, Sri Palanpuri Sthanakvasi Jain Association, Buddhist Society of India, Puri Jagannath Mandir Management Committee, All India Iskon committee, Ramakrishna Math, Gurudwara Bangla Sahib, as parties in the case.

In its order, the court said the petition is "thoroughly misconceived" which deserves to be dismissed with exemplary costs of Rs one lakh to be deposited with this court's Registry within four weeks from today.

"Now people will think at least four times before filing such PILs," the bench said, before ending the hearing.