New Delhi: A Catholic organisation has said that the Delhi police denied permission to Christians to carry out a procession on foot in the city on the occasion of Palm Sunday and called the move “unfair” and “shocking”.In a statement issued on Sunday (April 13), the Catholic Association of the Archdiocese of Delhi (CAAD) expressed its “deep shock and anguish” over the police’s denial of permission to have the Way of the Cross procession on grounds of ‘law and order and traffic concerns’.The police’s reason, the association said, “is difficult to accept, especially when other communities and political groups are routinely granted permissions for processions and rallies, even during peak hours on working days”.“Christians now question whether their constitutional right to religious freedom is being equally upheld,” it continued.Palm Sunday, which occurs a week before Easter Sunday and falls on April 13 this year, marks the beginning of Holy Week for Christians.According to the CAAD, the Way of the Cross procession in Delhi has involved walking from the St Mary’s Church in Old Delhi to the Sacred Heart Cathedral in New Delhi’s Gole Market area.“For over a decade, the annual Way of the Cross has been conducted with utmost discipline, peace and full cooperation with the authorities. Not once has there been a report of traffic disruption or law and order issue linked to our event,” the CAAD said in its statement.It added: “The denial of permission this year feels biased and unfair, casting a shadow on the principles of equal treatment and religious freedom.”“Christians in Delhi – and across India – have always been a peaceful, law-abiding community. We appeal to the authorities to act judiciously and ensure that justice and equality are upheld. We urge that such actions do not create a sense of exclusion or doubt in the minds of minorities who contribute positively and peacefully to the nation’s fabric.”Last Sunday, Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta attended a Shobha Yatra procession on the occasion of Ram Navami in the city’s Khyala area.“Why not paint Delhi saffron so that every person prospers and the city marches forward on the path of progress,” she was quoted as saying by PTI.
