Attacks On Christians Plea: SC Reminds Jharkhand To File Verification Report

Christians protesting against the recent attacks on churches.

(Photo: PTI)

The Supreme Court on Monday, 13 March, reminded the Jharkhand government to file a verification report in connection with a plea seeking directions to stop alleged attacks against the Christian community across the country.

Earlier, the court had sought reports from 8 states but all of them except Jharkhand had submitted the report.

The report, the court said, would help with forming an opinion on how states are complying with its directions in the Tehseen Poonawalla v. Union of India verdict.

In the said 2018 verdict, the top court, while recommending that a special law against lynching may be enacted by the parliament, issued a set of directives to against mob vigilantism.

The current petition, which was filed last year, highlights the "sinister phenomena of violence" and "targeted hate speech" against Christians by vigilante groups and right-wing organisation members.

It also points towards the failure of the state machinery in taking immediate and necessary action against groups that have caused the widespread violence and demands:

• Setting up of Special Investigation Teams (SITs) with officers from outside the States where the incidents take place , to register FIRs, conduct criminal investigations and prosecute the criminal offenders in accordance with law

• SITs to file closure reports in accordance with law, where false counter FIRs have been filed by the assailants against the victims

• An order directing each state to provide police protection for prayer meetings, and directing the SITs to identify and prosecute such members of the political/social organizations who conspired and instigated the assaults as described in this petition

• Orders directing the State Governments to properly assess the damage caused to property and pay compensation accordingly

• Setting up of a website and make information available on all these trials-state wise relating to instances of communal violence against the Christian community

• State Governments to pay compensation to all members of the victim community who were illegally arrested

• Prosecution of police officials who fail in their constitutionally mandated duty to enforce the law of the land, by being complicit in attacks against religious minorities, and by shielding the attackers or otherwise scuttling due process of law