'Have some respect for those killed in line of duty': Supreme Court declines to consider plea against War memorial

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday declined to entertain a plea concerning a war memorial in Dehradun, by telling the petitioner to respect those who died in the line of duty

A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi was hearing a plea challenging a January order of the Uttarakhand High Court. 

The high court had dismissed the plea, which alleged that the land, over which the war memorial 'Sainya Dham' in Dehradun district was to be constructed, was forest land and as such should not be allowed for construction purposes.

Considering the challenge to the high court's order, the bench asked the counsel representing the petitioner, "You have a problem with the construction of a war memorial?"

"For those who have sacrificed their lives for the nation, at least have some respect. We will issue a show-cause notice to him. Let him come and explain, and we will hold an inquiry as to on whose instance he is filing this petition," the bench cautioned. 

The petitioner’s counsel appearing claimed that even the war memorial was not being properly constructed there.

The court opined, the petition should have been dismissed by the high court with exemplary costs. The bench asked the counsel how much cost should be imposed on the petitioner. 

"These are all mischievously designed writ petitions," the court observed, warning that it would dismiss the petition with a cost of Rs one lakh.

The counsel then sought permission to withdraw the petition, which was allowed by the court.