NEW DELHI:
A sitting Supreme Court judge has declined a dinner invitation by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to be held today and coinciding with Good Friday ceremonies, and objected to it being hosted during religious functions.
Justice Kurian Joseph said in a letter to the Prime Minister that he would be attending Good Friday ceremonies with his family and friends in Kerala. “I regret my inability to attend the event as the Conference coincides with the Good Friday ceremonies,” he said and urged the Prime Minister to show equal importance and respect the sacred days of all religions which are also declared as national holidays.
Justice Joseph said Good Friday is a day of great religious significance for Christians, marking the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ, and therefore, it was customary for them to be part of the religious and other ceremonies. ”Hence I would be in Kerala during those days,” he said.
Justice Joseph said Diwali, Holi, Dussehra, Eid, Bakrid, Christmas, Easter and so on are great days of festival celebrations. ”Your good self would kindly appreciate that no important programmes are held during sacred and auspicious days of Diwali, Dussehra, Holi, Eid, Bakrid etc, though we have holidays during that period as well,” he said in the letter.
He said Indian secularism is based on the principle of ‘sarva dharma samabhava’ (respect for all religions) and India needed to safeguard these credentials.
”Our religious and cultural festivals and hues, irrespective of caste and creed, have contributed to the vibrancy of our rich pluralistic culture and ethos…India must in these trying times, safeguard her credentials and be a model that other nations must follow,” Mr Justice Joseph said.
Admitting that it was too late to reschedule the events, he said in the letter that these concerns should be kept in mind while scheduling events. (AGENCIES)
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