By Matters India Reporter
New Delhi, Oct 3, 2024: The Supreme Court has barred remarks made by the Allahabad High Court regarding religious conversions and their impact on the country’s demographics, deeming them inappropriate.
The apex court’s September 27 decision came as it granted bail to Kailash, a Christian from Hamirpur in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.
The case dates back to December 2023 when Kailash invited a group of about 20 people to a prayer meeting. Among them was Ramkali and her brother, who was struggling with mental health challenges.
Following the gathering, Ramkali’s brother went missing. While Kailash expressed concern and searched for him, Ramkali remained unfazed, explaining that her brother often wandered off and returned after a few days.
By May 2023, when the brother had still not returned, religious extremists in the village pressured Ramkali to file a complaint against Kailash, accusing him of her brother’s disappearance.
The police had initially found no basis for the allegations and released Kailash, but they arrested him on May 21, 2023, under the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Conversion Act, allegedly under pressure from the radical groups.
Kailash was accused of forcibly converting the attendees of the prayer meeting.
In July, Kailash’s lawyers filed for Kailash’s bail, but the Allahabad High Court rejected the plea, citing concerns over rising religious conversions.
Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal warned that “…if this process is allowed to continue, the majority population of this country would one day become a minority.”
In a subsequent hearing on September 27, the Supreme Court granted bail to Kailash. It held that the general observations made by the High Court had no bearing on the facts of the present case and were, therefore, not required for the disposal of the case.
The apex court also added that these remarks should not be cited in any future cases or proceedings in the High Court or any other court.