BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court on Monday issued notice to the state government on a public interest litigation filed by the People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) against survey of churches in the state, alleging that it is a violation of the right to equality and privacy.
A division bench of Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi and Justice Sachin Shankar Magadum issued notice to the Chief Secretary and Director of Minorities, while directing the government advocate to get instructions on the issue.
Senior counsel Prof Ravivarma Kumar argued that ordering a survey of churches is violation of rights and also persecution of Christians in Karnataka, as only one particular religion has been selected. The court said it is only collection of data about churches and not of Christians, that too in only one district, Ramanagara.
“It can be welfare of the community. How can you say it is violation of rights of Christians? Let them collect data. There is nothing on record to show that in any manner they are going to persecute Christians,” the court observed.
The senior counsel replied that churches are run by Christians. The survey is being done throughout the state, at the behest of an MLA. It was directed to urgently prepare a list of persons of Hindu origin who have converted to Christianity... Let them (government) not precipitate the matter, he argued. The court noted that the government should submit its response.