Key Takeaways
- Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan condemns Delhi Police for denying permission to ‘Palm Sunday’ procession, violating religious freedom and secular values.
- The Delhi Police decision is a targeted discrimination against Christians in Delhi, excluding them from Article 25 of the Constitution.
- The Chief Minister has written to the Home Minister against this decision, emphasizing the importance of freedom of religion in India.
Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday condemned the Delhi Police decision denying permission for the ‘Palm Sunday’ procession scheduled at the Sacred Heart Cathedral in New Delhi.
Responding to the Delhi Police decision, the Chief Minister, in a message, said “It violates religious freedom and secular values guaranteed by the Constitution.”
Such actions, which undermine the religious beliefs of minorities, are not befitting a pluralistic society, he added.
Earlier, the Delhi Police also denied permission to carry out procession by Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) on Hanuman Jayanti, citing security concerns.
Responding to the issue, AICC General Secretary KC Venugopal said “The BJP can’t even keep up its ‘so called pro-Christian’ gimmick for a single week.”
“First the Organiser article targeting Church properties, and now the Delhi Police has denied permission for the sacred procession on the holy day of Palm Sunday,” he charged.
“Are Christians in Delhi excluded from Article 25 of the Constitution that guarantees freedom of religion? Since when did practising faith become a threat? This is not an isolated incident – it’s targeted discrimination,” he said.
“Wrote to the Home Minister, to whom the Delhi Police reports, against this decision,” he said in a post on ‘X’.
