‘Hinduism not a religion but…’: Supreme Court junks PIL for setting up ‘renaming panel’

The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a PIL by advocate Ashwini Upadhyay for directing the Center to set up a "renaming commission" to find out and restore the original names of historical, cultural and religious places that have been changed by foreign invaders.

Justices KM Joseph and BV Nagarathna questioned the motive behind the PIL filed by Upadhyay, saying it would revive these issues "which will keep the country on the boil". "Hinduism is not a religion but a way of life...Hinduism is a way of life and there is no bigotry in Hinduism...don't dig up the past which will only create disharmony...you can't have the country on your neck." boiling,” Justice KM Joseph told Upadhyay.

Upadhyay had filed a PIL earlier this month, seeking to direct the Center to form a "renaming commission" to restore the "original" names of ancient historical, cultural and religious sites that had been "renamed" by foreign invaders. While the Mughal Garden was recently renamed Amrit Udyan, the government has done nothing to rename roads named after the invaders, the PIL said, arguing that the continuation of these names is against sovereignty and other civil rights guaranteed by the Constitution.

Alternatively, the PIL said the court can direct the Archaeological Survey of India to examine and publish the initial names of ancient historical and cultural religious sites that were renamed by "barbaric foreign invaders" to secure the right to information under the Constitution. The PIL said, "We are celebrating the 75th anniversary of independence but there are many ancient historical cultural religious places in the name of brutal foreign invaders, their servants and family members."

“India is a secular country, this is a secular forum. We are to protect the constitution and all the sections. You want to stir things up again which should be buried and not create discontent,” the court told Upadhyay. “Hinduism is a way of life because India has assimilated everyone. Because of this we are able to live together. Britain's policy of divide and rule has caused a schism in our society. Let us not be so backward,” Justice BV Nagarathna told Upadhyay.