Meghalaya HC judge sparks Hindu nation row, says India should’ve been Hindu state

SHILLONG: A judge of the Meghalaya high court has said that India should have declared itself a Hindu nation at the time of the Partition. Justice SR Sen made this observation on Monday while disposing of a petition of one Amon Rana, who was denied domicile certificate by the state government.“Pakistan declared themselves as an Islamic country and India, since (it) was divided on the basis of religion, should have also been declared as a Hindu country, but it remained as a secular country,” Justice Sen said.Justice Sen, who is the lone judge at the Meghalaya HC, said in his order: “I make it clear that nobody should try to make India as another Islamic country, otherwise it will be a doom’s day for India and the world. I am confident that only this government under PM Narendra Modi will understand the gravity, and will do the needful as requested above and our (West Bengal ) chief minister Mamata Banerjee will support the national interest in all respect.”Requesting the government for a “uniform law” that should be binding on all citizens, the judge said: “Anybody opposing the Indian laws and constitution, they cannot be considered as citizens of the country. We must remember that first, we are Indians, then good human beings and thereafter comes the community we belong (to).”“India achieved independence through bloodshed and the worst sufferers were the Hindus and Sikhs who had to leave their forefather’s property, birthplace with tear and fear and we will never forget that (sic!),” the order said.“They may be allowed to come at any point of time to settle in India and government may provide rehabilitation properly and declare them citizens of India. Similar principle to be adopted for those Hindus and Sikhs who are of Indian origin and presently residing abroad to come to India at any time as they like and they may be considered automatically as Indian citizens,” Justice Sen said.The court emphasized that Muslims residing in India for generations and abiding by Indian laws should be allowed to live peacefully.The 37-page order said, “As we all know, India was one of the largest country in the world and there was no concept of Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. They were in one country and (that) was commanded by Hindu kingdom but thereafter the Mughal(s) came to India and captured the different parts of India and started ruling the country and at that point of time many conversion(s) took place by force.”