SC dismisses plea to constitute "Renaming Commission"; says India a secular country

The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed the petition seeking to constitute a "Renaming Commission" to find out original names of 'ancient historical cultural religious places and remarked that India is a secular country and Hinduism is a way of life, because of that India has assimilated everybody.

Supreme Court bench comprising Justice KM Joseph and Justice BV Nagarathna expressed its unhappiness with the petitioner and advocate Ashwini Upadhyay and said that such petitions should not be entertained.

"Hinduism is a way of life, and that was the reason, India has assimilated everybody and therefore we are able to live together," said Justice BV Nagarathna.

Justice Nagarathna mentioned the divide-and-rule policy brought by the British in the country and remarked that "let us not break it again with such kind of petitions".

The court remarked not to dig up the past as it would only create disharmony and they can't allow the country on the boil.

Justice KM Joseph, who was heading the bench, said, "In Kerala, the state where I belong to, the Hindu king has donated the land to build churches".

The court said that our country is secular and supposed to protect the Constitution and remarked that the petitioner is concerned about the past and digging it up to place its burden on the present generation.

"The history of any nation cannot haunt the present and future generations of a nation to the point that succeeding generations become prisoners of the past," said the court.

Justice KM Joseph said that there is no bigotry in Hinduism.

Trying to convince the bench, petitioner Ashwini Upadhyay said, "Hindus have become a minority in many historical places. The country has roads after Lodhi, Ghazni, Ghori and other invaders but there is no single road named after Pandavas."

In reply to the petitioner, the court said, "Keep the country in mind, not any religion. A country cannot remain a prisoner of the past and the government is wedded to rule of law, secularism, and constitutionalism."

"Being a Christian, he is equally fond of Hinduism, which is the greatest religion in terms of metaphysics. The country should be proud of that", added Justice Joseph.

The petitioner has sought to constitute a "Renaming Commission" to find out the original names of 'ancient historical cultural religious places', named after barbaric foreign invaders in order to maintain Sovereignty and to secure the 'Right to Dignity, Right to Religion and Right to Culture.

Advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay has sought to issue appropriate direction to the Home Ministry to constitute a "Renaming Commission" to find out the original names of 'ancient historical cultural religious places', named after barbaric foreign invaders in order to maintain Sovereignty and to secure 'Right to Dignity, Right to Religion and Right to Culture' guaranteed under Articles 21, 25 and 29 of the Constitution.

Alternatively, the petitioner has urged the court to direct the Archaeological Survey of India to research and publish the initial names of ancient historical-cultural religious places, which were renamed by barbaric foreign invaders, to secure the 'Right to Know' guaranteed under Article 19 of the Constitution.

The petition has urged the court to direct the Centre and State Governments to update their websites and records and mention the original names of ancient historical cultural religious places, named after the barbaric foreign invaders.

( With inputs from ANI )