The Hindu Sant Samaj has protested the transfer of petitions related to laws preventing religious conversions from various High Courts to the Supreme Court.
Calling this another discriminatory decision by the Supreme Court against Hindus, they have announced a national movement. They stated that a national debate will be initiated regarding such decisions and transparency in the appointment process in the Supreme Court and High Courts.
During a press conference on North Avenue, in the presence of Mahant Rajendra Das, President of the Nirmohi Akhara and General Secretary of the Akhara Parishad, and Dr. Surendra Jain, Central Joint General Secretary of the VHP, Swami Jitendrananda Saraswati, National General Secretary of the All India Sant Samiti, stated that illegal religious conversions pose a serious threat to the nation.
In light of this, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, and other states have enacted Religious Freedom Acts, which outlaw religious conversions through fraud, coercion, and inducement. The conversion forces and their supporters have challenged this in the High Court, but unfortunately, the Supreme Court has ordered a combined hearing for all of them.
He said that the saints believe that since the law related to conversion is a matter for state governments, the cases should have been heard in the High Courts first. The circumstances of conversion are also different in each case. In such a situation, how can everyone be heard together?
The Supreme Court has also sought opinions from states where the ruling parties themselves stand with the conversion forces. In the past, many such biased decisions have given rise to suspicion in Hindu society.
Swami Jitendrananda Saraswati recalled that after holding Swami Dayanand Saraswati’s petition to free temples from government control for 13 years, the Supreme Court returned it, stating that it was a state matter.
Further, he accused the collegium system of nepotism in the appointment of judges in the Supreme Court and High Courts, saying that there is a constitutional provision of All India Judicial Service (AIGS) for the appointment of judges, but by bypassing it, the judges are only promoting their families. There are many such questions on which this movement will be launched to start a national discussion.
On the question of showing shoes to the Chief Justice of the country BR Gavai and the opposition’s Dalit politics on it, he said that there is a constitutional system of protest, violence is not acceptable in any way. He further said that this politics will not last because the lawyer who showed shoes is also from the Dalit community.