State gets HC notice on churches' security

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Chandigarh, September 6

The Punjab and Haryana High Court today put the state of Punjab on notice on a plea for providing security to all the churches. Directions were also sought in the plea to protect the property, including “religious statues” of Jesus Christ, from being damaged.

Taking up the petition filed by the president of a social organisation, National Christian League, Justice Vinod S Bhardwaj also fixed November 24 as the next date of hearing in the matter. In his petition, Jagdish Masih had further sough directions to protect the minority community of the Christians in the state “in view of prevailing law and order situation”

This, asserted, was essential in the interest of justice following the incident of violence, burning and damaging of the churches in Tarn Taran district and elsewhere. His counsel JS Bains added it was also essential for the maintenance of peace and harmony in the state.

Bains added certain anti-social elements and the statement regarding forcible conversions in the border districts had “further added oil to this highly sensitive issue, in which involvement of certain international agencies could not be ruled out”.