Bengaluru: In a significant ruling, the Karnataka High Court has declared that chanting the slogan ‘Jai Shri Ram’ inside a mosque does not constitute an offense or hurt the religious feelings of any community. The court’s judgment came as it quashed a criminal case filed against two individuals who had allegedly raised the slogan inside a mosque.
The case stemmed from an incident on September 24, 2023, when the two accused were charged by the police for entering a mosque and chanting ‘Jai Shri Ram’. They were booked under several sections, including one for outraging religious feelings.
A single bench of Justice M. Nagaprasanna, while reviewing the appeal petition filed by the accused, concluded that the charges were not substantiated. The court emphasized that the complainant in the case had acknowledged the harmonious coexistence of Hindus and Muslims in the area where the incident occurred.
The ruling has sparked mixed reactions but highlights the court’s stance on maintaining communal harmony and ensuring that expressions of faith do not lead to unwarranted legal action when there is no clear intent to incite religious discord.