‘There is a limit…’: SC on reports it delayed hearing plea alleging attacks on Christian priests
There is a limit to the targeting of AAP judges, the Supreme Court said on Thursday while expressing displeasure over news reports delaying the hearing on a petition alleging increasing attacks on Christian institutions and priests across the country.
A bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and Surya Kant said, “Give us a break.
“Last time the matter could not be taken up as I was down with Covid. You get it printed in the newspapers that the Supreme Court is delaying the hearing. See, there is a limit to targeting judges. Who gives all this news? “The news I saw online was that the judges are delaying the hearing. Give us a break One of the judges is down with covid and that is why we could not take up the matter. Anyway, we will list it otherwise there will be another news,” the bench said orally.
The remarks came after the counsel for the petitioner sought a hearing of the matter.
Senior advocate Colin Gonsalves mentioned the matter before a vacation bench in June and said on average 45 to 50 violent attacks against Christian institutions and priests take place across the country every month.
The relief sought in the petition filed by Peter Machado and others includes the implementation of the guidelines issued by the apex court in the Tehseen Poonawalla judgment, under which nodal officers were to be appointed to look into hate crimes and register FIRs.
In 2018, the apex court issued several guidelines for the Center and the states. These included fast-track trials, victim compensation, preventive punishment and disciplinary action against officials who enforced lax laws.
The court had said that crimes like hate crimes, cow protection and incidents of lynching should be put to an end at the earliest.
