'Jai Shri Ram' slogan in mosque a crime? SC to decide

SC WONDERED IF A SHOUTING OF RELIGIOUS SLOGAN COULD INVOKE CHARGES OF OUTRAGING THE RELIGIOUS SENTIMENTS

- Utkarsh Anand

NEW DELHI: Is it a crime to shout Jai Shri Ram inside a mosque? That's the question the Supreme Court on Monday deliberated, at a broader level, when it wondered whether shouting religious slogans in a place of worship belonging to a different religion violated any Indian law.

A bench comprising justices Pankaj Mithal and Sandeep Mehta sought a response from the Karnataka government on a petition challenging the Karnataka high court's decision to quash criminal proceedings against individuals accused of raising "Jai Shri Ram" slogans inside a mosque.

Even as the bench refrained from issuing notice without hearing the state, it wondered if a mere shouting of religious slogans could invoke charges of outraging the religious sentiments of some other community.

The case stems from a September 2023 incident at the Badriya Juma Masjid in Dakshina Kannada, Karnataka, where individuals allegedly trespassed into the mosque, raised "Jai Shri Ram" slogans, and issued threats against the Muslim community. Following a police complaint by Haydhar Ali, two individuals were arrested but later released on bail.