Prominent public interest litigant and septuagenarian advocate Lily Thomas on Friday invoked the Gita to request the Supreme Court to assume the role of 'Krishna' to deal with the injustice being meted out to Christians through attacks on churches in various parts of the country including the rape of a nun.
Thomas, who has filed many PILs and got favourable judgments from the apex court, recited in Sanskrit the most famous lines of Gita where Krishna tells Arjun that he would reincarnate every time injustice overwhelms justice on earth to protect the good and destroy evil.
Egging on a bench of Chief Justice H L Dattu and Justices M Y Eqbal and Arun Mishra to take suo motu cognizance of recent attacks on churches and atrocities on Christians, she said the court could no longer allow the law and order situation to deteriorate further and scare the minority community.
She said the Supreme Court's motto 'Victory to the Righteous' meant that righteous people would have to wait a long time to get justice. "This motto should take the back seat and the Supreme Court should adopt Krishna's role to provide speedy justice to Christians. Please take suo motu cognizance of the incidents happening in many places in India," she said.
The CJI said, "If you want the court to take action, please file a petition. The court will surely take action in sensitive matters affecting society. It will not be proper for the court to take suo motu cognizance of this issue. Once you file the petition, I assure you of an urgent hearing."
Thomas did not want her request to appear as a plea for protection of the minority community. She wanted the court to provide adequate protection to women and religious institutions. She told TOI that she would be filing a PIL on this issue on Saturday and ask for an urgent hearing for next week.
Hardly had the court recovered from the recitation of verses by Thomas, another PIL by advocate M K Balakrishnan pleaded for a direction to the Centre for making Bhagvat Gita a national text and for inclusion of important chapters in the educational curriculum.
Balakrishnan recited several lines from the Gita and said inclusion of excerpts in educational curriculum would help impart a value system in society.
The CJI, who is well versed with Gita, was overwhelmed. He said, "How come we are hearing a lot of Sanskrit verses right from the start of work today?"
However, he was quick to point out that there were several religious texts in India. He said, "Christians, Muslims and every other religious denomination has a religious text. Each one is important to those who follow that faith. How can the court say which is better?"
While dismissing Balakrishnan's petition, the CJI quoted Gita to say "Karmanye Vadhikaraste Ma Phaleshu Kadachana" and told the advocate that he need not be disappointed by the result as he had done his work.
Thomas, who has filed many PILs and got favourable judgments from the apex court, recited in Sanskrit the most famous lines of Gita where Krishna tells Arjun that he would reincarnate every time injustice overwhelms justice on earth to protect the good and destroy evil.
Egging on a bench of Chief Justice H L Dattu and Justices M Y Eqbal and Arun Mishra to take suo motu cognizance of recent attacks on churches and atrocities on Christians, she said the court could no longer allow the law and order situation to deteriorate further and scare the minority community.
She said the Supreme Court's motto 'Victory to the Righteous' meant that righteous people would have to wait a long time to get justice. "This motto should take the back seat and the Supreme Court should adopt Krishna's role to provide speedy justice to Christians. Please take suo motu cognizance of the incidents happening in many places in India," she said.
The CJI said, "If you want the court to take action, please file a petition. The court will surely take action in sensitive matters affecting society. It will not be proper for the court to take suo motu cognizance of this issue. Once you file the petition, I assure you of an urgent hearing."
Thomas did not want her request to appear as a plea for protection of the minority community. She wanted the court to provide adequate protection to women and religious institutions. She told TOI that she would be filing a PIL on this issue on Saturday and ask for an urgent hearing for next week.
Hardly had the court recovered from the recitation of verses by Thomas, another PIL by advocate M K Balakrishnan pleaded for a direction to the Centre for making Bhagvat Gita a national text and for inclusion of important chapters in the educational curriculum.
Balakrishnan recited several lines from the Gita and said inclusion of excerpts in educational curriculum would help impart a value system in society.
The CJI, who is well versed with Gita, was overwhelmed. He said, "How come we are hearing a lot of Sanskrit verses right from the start of work today?"
However, he was quick to point out that there were several religious texts in India. He said, "Christians, Muslims and every other religious denomination has a religious text. Each one is important to those who follow that faith. How can the court say which is better?"
While dismissing Balakrishnan's petition, the CJI quoted Gita to say "Karmanye Vadhikaraste Ma Phaleshu Kadachana" and told the advocate that he need not be disappointed by the result as he had done his work.
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