The government\u2019s denial of the Palm Sunday procession was not just about logistics; it was about deeper tensions around public religious expression.
Each year on Palm Sunday, the Sunday preceding Easter, Delhi\u2019s Christian community participates in the Way of the Cross procession commemorating Jesus Christ\u2019s suffering and crucifixion. The Delhi Police\u2019s refusal to grant permission for this year\u2019s procession has triggered widespread criticism from political leaders and civil society members, who condemn it as an unwarranted restriction on constitutional religious expression rights.
The Catholic Association of the Archdiocese of Delhi (CAAD), the procession\u2019s principal organiser, applied for police permission on March 12. But was informed only on April 12, just a day before the event, that it would not be allowed. In an official statement, CAAD expressed deep dismay. It noted that the decision left the Christian community \u201cdeeply hurt and disappointed,\u201d particularly given the last-minute notification. The religiously significant Holy Week procession typically begins at St. Mary\u2019s Church, one of the city\u2019s oldest, and concludes at the Sacred Heart Cathedral, the Archbishop of Delhi\u2019s seat.
CAAD President A.C. Michael told Frontline that the denial appeared part of a broader pattern marginalising minority communities. \u201cThis particular procession started in 2013. Last year, we were denied permission because section 144 was in place, and then-CM Arvind Kejriwal was in jail. That was a valid reason, but this time, they\u2019re just denying permission, citing traffic disruption. We had a strong rapport with the AAP government. Both Arvind Kejriwal and Atishi would always attend Church on Christmas.\u201d
Although Delhi Police officially cited law and order concerns, they informally pointed to an IPL match at Arun Jaitley Stadium on the same day, suggesting the procession would interfere with match-day traffic. \u201cIt is very sad that they are comparing a religious procession to a sport,\u201d Michael added.
According to media reports, police denied permission calling it a \u201cnon-traditional procession\u201d with potential security concerns. However, another Palm Sunday procession led by the Christian Youth League proceeded without restrictions. \u201cThe Delhi Police seems to have a problem sanctioning permissions for non-traditional processions. But the same authority has given permission to one Christian community and denied it to another,\u201d Michael noted, questioning this inconsistency.
The denial drew sharp criticism from Christian community members, civil society organisations, interfaith groups, and political leaders, who called it religious discrimination and a breach of constitutional rights to religious freedom and assembly. The All India Catholic Union condemned the decision in a press statement, saying it sets a \u201cbad precedent and vitiates the secular environment in the country\u201d.
Elias Vas, All India Catholic Union (AICU) president, linked this incident to broader divisive politics where minority communities bear the brunt. The AICU is a democratic federation of Catholic associations nationwide that represents the community in social, religious, political, and economic spheres.
\u201cIt\u2019s deeply disheartening to witness a solemn occasion meant to convey love, sacrifice, and compassion being disrupted, regardless of the justifications. Christianity\u2019s essence is service to people, which Christians have been doing across India, particularly in healthcare and education,\u201d Vas told Frontline. \u201cIn recent years, Christians have been wrongfully targeted for \u2018conversions.\u2019 We\u2019ve investigated these accusations, and there\u2019s no basis for any of them.\u201d
Michael echoed these concerns: \u201cThe Sangh Parivar, RSS, and its sister organisations have a problem with minorities. They accuse us of \u2018converting\u2019 people, but no court in India has found anyone guilty of forceful conversion. Daily, about two incidents occur against Christians nationwide, increasing dramatically since 2014 from around 100 cases yearly to nearly 800 now. The highest numbers occur in Uttar Pradesh, followed by Chhattisgarh.\u201d
Leaders across party lines demanded accountability from the Delhi Police. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan strongly condemned the decision as a violation of constitutional rights, stressing that such actions undermine fundamental freedoms of expression and religious practice, calling them detrimental to a pluralistic society.
Congress Party senior leader K.C. Venugopal wrote to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, criticising the decision as a \u201cdeliberate act of oppression\u201d and questioning the government\u2019s commitment to religious freedom. The Delhi Police falls under Home Ministry jurisdiction.
Vas highlighted how divisive politics erode social harmony and amplify tensions against minorities: \u201cThis divisive majoritarianism creates issues in many States. People are afraid, leading to protectionist ideology.\u201d He criticised the \u201cmy language, my State\u201d approach as harmful to the country. \u201cWhat the right wing doesn\u2019t understand is that the fire they\u2019re lighting isn\u2019t restricted to minorities\u2014it will hurt the nation.\u201d
Despite these challenges, Vas remains hopeful about India\u2019s resilience: \u201cI strongly believe in the nation of India. Our country has endured for thousands of years and will continue thriving despite a few missteps. Only a small portion of Indians are responsible for sowing distrust and perpetuating harassment against minorities.\u201d
Vedaant Lakhera
Courtesy: Frontline The Hindu<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The government\u2019s denial of the Palm Sunday procession was not just about logistics; it was about deeper tensions around public religious expression.Each year on Palm Sunday, the Sunday preceding Easter, Delhi\u2019s Christian community participates in the Way of the Cross procession commemorating Jesus Christ\u2019s suffering and crucifixion. The Delhi Police\u2019s refusal to grant permission for […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[395],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-483623","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-opinion"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nagalandpost.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/483623","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nagalandpost.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nagalandpost.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nagalandpost.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nagalandpost.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=483623"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/nagalandpost.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/483623\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nagalandpost.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=483623"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nagalandpost.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=483623"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nagalandpost.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=483623"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}