"India Is A Secular Country" : Supreme Court Dismisses PIL Seeking To Declare Sri Sri Thakur Anukulchandra as "Paramaatma" With Rs 1 Lakh Cost

Remarking that "India is a secular country", the Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a petition which sought to declare Sri Sri Thakur Anukul Chandra as 'Paramaatma'.

"India is a secular country and the petitioner cannot be permitted to pray that the citizens of India may accept Sri Sri Thakur Anukul Chandra as Paramaatma (supreme spirit)", the bench observed in the order.

A bench comprising Justices MR Shah and CT Ravikumar imposed a cost of Rs 1 lakh on the petitioner for filing a "publicity interest litigation".

"If you want you can consider him as Paramaatma. Why enforce it on others?", a bench comprising Justices MR Shah and CT Ravikumar asked the petitioner.

"Hum yeh lecture sunne nahi sunne aaye hain. Hum secular desh hain (We are not here to listen to your lecture. We are a secular country)", Justice MR Shah told the petitioner-in-person who was arguing in Hindi.

"Aap mano ki ek hi Guruji hain... Aise kabhi hota hain bhaiya? Sabko pura adhikar hain, yeh country mein, jisko jo dharam maana hain, maane(You are saying that everyone should accept your Guruji. How can that be, brother? In India everyone has a right to choose their God)", Justice Shah said.

The bench observed that the petition was not a "genuine PIL" and imposed exemplary cost while dismissing it. "Now people will think at least 4 times before filing such PILs", Justice Shah remarked.

The cost has to be deposited with the Supreme Court registry within a period of 4 weeks.

Click Here To Read/Download Order