Selective targeting: Venugopal on ‘denial’ of police permission to Christian procession
Congress leader KC Venugopal on Sunday strongly criticised the denial of police permission for the Kuruthola Pradakshina procession to Delhi’s Sacred Heart Cathedral, calling it an act of “selective targeting” to “silence minority voices while amplifying others”. He has urged Home Minister Amit Shah to launch an immediate investigation into the matter.
In a letter addressed to Shah, Venugopal said, “I register my strong protest and deep concern over the recent denial of permission for the Kuruthola Pradakshina procession to the Sacred Heart Cathedral in Delhi—a church deemed significant enough for the Hon’ble Prime Minister to grace with his presence during Christmas and Easter.”
The decision to prohibit this peaceful religious procession represents a serious attack on the religious freedom guaranteed under the Constitution, he said.
The Kuruthola Pradakshina (Way of the Cross Procession) on Palm Sunday, which occurs a week before Easter Sunday, is a cherished tradition within the Christian community, symbolising devotion and communal harmony, Venugopal said.
Venugopal highlighted that this procession has been peacefully conducted for the past 15 years without incident, and its sudden prohibition, without a valid explanation, raises “serious concerns” about the government’s commitment to religious freedom.
“Religious processions are an integral part of many faiths in India, and restricting them without transparent and justifiable reasons undermines the secular fabric of our democracy,” he said.
He added, “This isn’t mere oversight; it’s a deliberate act of suppression. The government’s refusal to offer even a shred of credible reasoning for this ban lays bare its motives: discrimination dressed up as policy. This selective targeting underlines the calculated agenda to silence minority voices while amplifying others, tearing at the very roots of our secular democracy.”
He urged Shah to investigate the circumstances that lead to denial of permission by the police for the procession.
Delhi