Hinduism a way of life, don’t dig up past to create disharmony; SC junks plea on renaming roads, places

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a plea seeking direction to the Central government to appoint a renaming commission to rechristen cities and places called after foreign invaders.

The apex court said Hinduism is not a religion but a way of life.

A bench comprising Justices K.M. Joseph and B.V. Nagarathna also observed that there is no bigotry in Hinduism.

The bench told petitioner-advocate Ashwini Upadhyay: “Don’t dig up the past which will only create disharmony… Can’t have the country on the boil.”

During the hearing, the bench stressed that India is a secular country and the history of the past cannot be allowed to haunt the present generation.

“India is a secular country, this is a secular forum. We are supposed to protect the Constitution and all sections,” it said.

Emphasizing that Hinduism is a way of life not just a religion, the bench said: We have assimilated all cultures. Let’s not break it up by such kind of petitions .Hinduism is a way of life and there is no bigotry in it. You or this court should not become instrument to create havoc.”

The petitioner sought a direction to the Union Home Ministry to set up a “renaming commission” to find out original names of ancient historical cultural religious places, called after “foreign invaders”.

Citing the importance of renaming, the plea argued that it is necessary in order to maintain sovereignty and to secure aright to dignity, right to religion and right to culture’ guaranteed under Articles 21, 25 and 29 of the Constitution.

The petitioner cited several examples of hundreds of such cities, and places, and sought a direction to the Archaeological Survey of India to research and publish the initial names of ancient historical cultural religious places.
IANS