The Bombay High Court on Wednesday observed that irrespective of religions,shrines should not be built on the streets. The court was hearing a petition filed by the Bombay Catholic Sabha (BCS) against the BMCs decision to demolish unauthorised religious shrines built after September 29,2010. Counsel for the BCS,advocate Joaquim Reis,told the court that the Corporation had decided to demolish shrines built after September 2010 but some of the shrines it had targeted were more than 100 years old. He said a petition had already been filed in the HC earlier in this regard. The only thing that distinguishes our country from the West is our belief in God, Reis told the court. They (shrines) may be belonging to any religion but they should not be allowed on our streets, Justice Ranjana Desai observed. Government pleader D A Nalavade told the court that as reported in a section of media,the Chief Minister had already made a statement that no further demolitions of religious shrines would be carried out. If need be,they will be relocated, Nalavade informed the court. A Bench of Justices Desai and RG Ketkar,however,asked Nalavade to seek instructions in the case and place the governments stand on its policy for unauthorised shrines before the court on March 28. Contact your Chief Minister and ask him if this is his statement, Justice Desai told Nalavade. The petition filed by the BCS and its president Nicholas Almeida urged the court to direct the corporation not to take action on the holy crosses situate on roads,footpaths and other public places. The court said a status quo should be maintained until further orders.
