Manipur Violence: Supreme Court records State's assurance to facilitate those in relief camps to celebrate Christmas

The Supreme Court on Friday recorded the Manipur government's assurance that steps will be taken to ensure that persons in relief camps in Manipur consequent to the riots in the State, are able to attend ceremonies and prayers on the occasion of Christmas..The bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud with Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra recorded the same in its order after Senior Advocate Huzefa Ahmadi, representing the Meitei Christian Churches Council requested that there should be some place where people in the State could congregate to celebrate Christmas.Solicitor General (SG) Tushar Mehta raised concerns about the same saying congregation of one community may pose problems.“What about their right to observe Christmas then,” CJI Chandrachud remarked. “They have the right but congregation for Christmas was never a prayer (made by the petitioner in the petition)," Solicitor General Mehta replied.The Court, however, said that the affected persons have the right to observe Christmas. "Bearing in mind persons would be in relief camps, with regard to incoming Christmas festival both SG Mehta and Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati assure the court that necessary steps would be taken to ensure that those in camps can attend to all ceremonies regarding the impending Christmas festival," the Court stated.It also ordered the State to prepare a comprehensive list of religious places vandalized during the violence that took over the State earlier this year, so that a Committee could be set up to plan the way forward for their restoration.It further ordered the State to furnish the list to the Committee headed by retired Justice Gita Mittal, to enable it prepare a comprehensive proposal for the restoration of such places of worship.“The State of Manipur shall furnish to the committee a comprehensive list following the exercise of identifying the religious structures which were vandalized and this identification shall be across all religious denominations which were damaged or destroyed,” the Court said. The top court today also ordered the State to keep the Committee informed about the steps taken to restore places of worship..The bench was hearing a batch of pleas related to the outbreak of violence in Manipur earlier this year.It had earlier constituted an all-woman judicial committee headed by Justice Mittal to examine the probe being conducted into the violence.The Supreme Court had in November ordered the Manipur government to ensure decent and dignified burial of the unidentified and unclaimed bodies..During today’s hearing, Senior Advocate Huzefa Ahmadi, representing the Meitei Christian Churches Council informed the Court that places of worship that were damaged during the violence have been identified. At this point, CJI Chandrachud questioned the State about steps taken to ensure that such religious places are not encroached. The Court also asked about plans to repair them.In response, Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati submitted that the places of worship that were damaged have been identified and secured. In response to a query from the Court on how many churches were impacted by the violence, Ahmadi said that there were 247 such Meitei churches. “I have shown a photo of a Church which originally existed. They demolished it and now they have dug up a pond there. This is one stray example,” the senior counsel added. .Advocate Vibha Dutt Makhija, who appeared for the Committee headed by Justice Mittal, submitted that other religious sites like Buddhist temples have also suffered damage in the violence. .In this backdrop, the Court considered it appropriate to issue directions to the State and Committee for the identification, protection and restoration of such places of worship.“They are our extended arm,” CJI Chandrachud said about the Committee.It added that the Committee would be at liberty to take a comprehensive view of the matter including with respect to illegal encroachments on the places of worship.“The next report shall have recommendations which will be taken into account while issuing orders of this court on the next date of the hearing,” the bench said. The Court also directed the State of Manipur to bring out a proposal or response regarding the rehabilitation of those whose homes were destroyed in the violence.“The proposal be also kept in front of the Committee for recommendations in this regard,” it added.