India Should Have Been Declared A Hindu Country, Says Meghalaya Judge

A Meghalaya High Court judge stirred controversy after he wrote a judgement that said India should have been declared a "Hindu country." Since Partition of the subcontinent, during Independence, was done on the basis of religion, "Pakistan declared that it was an Islamic country... India should also have been declared a Hindu country...," Justice SR Sen said on Monday, while disposing off the plea of a man who was denied a domicile certificate by the state government.

"Nobody should try to make India another Islamic country, otherwise it will be a doomsday... I am confident that only this government under Narendra Modi Ji will understand the gravity, and will do the needful as requested above and our Chief Minister Mamata ji will support the national interest in all respect," Justice Sen's order read.

The judge also said that India must have uniform law for all citizens and anybody opposing the country's laws and Constitution "cannot be considered a citizen of the country".

"However, I am not against my Muslim brothers and sisters, who are residing in India for generations and abiding Indian laws, they should also be allowed to live peacefully," the judge said.

In a sharp retort, Asaduddin Owaisi, the Lok Sabha lawmaker from Hyderabad said, "What sort of judgement is this? Will the judiciary and the government take note of this?" Mr Owaisi accused the judge of attempting to spread hatred.

"India will not become an Islamic country. India will remain a plural and secular country," Mr Owaisi told news agency IANS.

Justice Sen urged the Centre to bring a law allowing citizenship to people who have come from neighbouring countries like Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, without any documents.

"I request our beloved Prime Minister, Home Minister, Law Minister and Hon'ble Members of the Parliament to bring a law to allow the Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhist, Parsis, Christians, Khasis, Jaintias and Garos, who have come from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan to live in this country peacefully and with full dignity... and be given citizenship without any question or production of any documents," Justice Sen said in his judgement, adding that a similar stand must be adopted for Hindus and Sikhs of Indian origin who are living abroad.

The judge also criticised the Boundary Commission, the panel appointed at the time of Partition to decide on how parts of the subcontinent were to be divided between India and Pakistan. The commission "drew an imaginary line" Justice Sen claimed.

"A burning example is that if we visit the border, it is difficult to understand which land falls within India and which is in Bangladesh as somebody's kitchen is in India and their bedroom is in Bangladesh," his judgement said.