AGARTALA: Tripura high court came down heavily on a section of organisations belonging to the Chakma community for allegedly calling a social boycott of a Chakma man and his family members, who had converted to Christianity.
Slamming the Chakma bodies, Tripura high court judge – Justice Arindham Lodhi – said that India is a secular country and every Indian has a fundamental right to propagate, practice and select their religion, Bar & Bench reported.
“They (members of Chakma committees who were engaging in the boycott) are violating the Indian Constitution. They are trying to infringe fundamental rights of the citizens of India. The members of Chakma community … must keep in mind that India is a secular country everybody has the fundamental right to preach, profess and choose his own religion. Nobody can invade into such right of a citizen,” the Tripura high court said.
The Tripura high court directed the state authorities to take appropriate measures to stop religious persecution of the Chakma man and his family.
The Tripura government authorities were also told not to hesitate in arresting any person found violating the Indian Constitution.
“The respondents … are directed to take stern action against those Samajpatis or self-styled headman and the members of Chakma community who indulge themselves in such unconstitutional activities … The State Administration would not hesitate to arrest any of the members of any community who indulge in unlawful activities and the offenders of violation of the provisions of Indian Constitution,” the Tripura high court order stated.