Christian advocacy group, Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) has commended India’s Supreme Court to stay all further criminal proceedings against a Catholic priest.
Earlier this month, the Supreme Court of India halted all further criminal proceedings issued against Father Vincent Pereira, a Roman Catholic priest from Uttar Pradesh, who was tried for allegedly hurting religious sentiments in the Allahabad High Court.
The issue began with a First Information Report (FIR), filed in the Muhammadabad Police Station, Mau District, Uttar Pradesh three years ago, when Pereira was accused of hurting the religious sentiment of the Hindu community, making a claim during a church service that Christianity was the only true religion.
In February 2024 he was formally charged under Section 295A of the Indian Penal Code, which characterizes his claim as among ‘deliberate and malicious acts’ intended to outrage religious feeling. He later petitioned the Allahabad High Court to dismiss the charges. The High Court dismissed the petition last month on the grounds that proclaiming that any one religion is the only true religion is wrong in a secular country like India, The court said that such a claim may be disrespectful to other faiths.
Pereira would later appeal to the Supreme Court, which ruled in his favour. On April 10, an order was given, which stated that the court will hear the case, but until that time, all criminal proceedings against him will be discontinued. The court also issued a notice to the Uttar Pradesh government on Father Pereira’s petition challenging the Allahabad High Court’s order.
Article 25(1) of the Indian constitution grants each citizen the right to freely profess, practise and propagate their religion, which includes the right to preach and share religious beliefs. The right is only subject to considerations of public order, morality, and health.
Mervyn Thomas, Founder and President of CSW, a group of specialists that aims to ensure that the right to freedom of religion or belief is enforced and protected, has described the legal decision as a “welcome step for religious minority communities across India.”
“The Supreme Court order to stay proceedings against Father Pereira comes as a welcome step for religious minority communities across India,” he said, “Such cases drain resources, create fear and discourage open religious practice, and raise serious constitutional concerns.”
He also urged the Indian Supreme Court to acquit Pereira speedily, while rejecting the Allahabad High Courts previous claim that it is wrong to proclaim that one religion cannot be claimed as the one true religion.
“We call on the Supreme Court to swiftly and conclusively acquit Father Pereira of the charges against him, rejecting the Allahabad High Court’s view that no faith can claim exclusive truth, which effectively criminalises a key doctrinal belief of many religions, and affirming the right to freedom of religion or belief enshrined within the Indian constitution.’
