TFIPOST हिन्दी
TFIPOST Global
Tfipost.com
Tfipost.com
No Result
View All Result
  • Premium
  • Politics
    • All
    • Analysis
    • Opinions
    • Trending
    Kaleshwaram Project Under Political Fire in Telangana

    Irrigation or Irregularities? Kaleshwaram Project Under Political Fire in Telangana

    Air India Crash: Probe Intensifies as Global Agencies Join In

    Air India Crash: Black Box May Be Sent to U.S.

    Congress Sparks Outrage Over Use of Distorted Indian Map in Social Media Post

    Congress Sparks Outrage Over Use of Distorted Map of India in Social Media Post

    Congress leader Rahul Gandhi

    Where Is Rahul Gandhi? On His 55th Birthday, the ‘Youth Leader’ Still Seems ‘Missing’

    • Analysis
    • Opinions
    • Trending
  • Economy
    • All
    • Business
    • Economy1
    • Finance
    India Makes Global Strides in QS Rankings 2026 with Record 54 Institutions

    India’s Education Sector Makes Global Strides in QS Rankings 2026 with Record 54 Institutions

    Get Insurance: Secure your Tomorrow with Confidence

    Get Insurance: Secure your Tomorrow with Confidence

    real estate

    US Firms Hit All-Time High in Office Space Leasing Across India: Report

    PM Narendra Modia

    11 Years of Modi Govt: Making Welfare Seamless with Direct Benefit Transfers, DigiLocker, UMANG

    • Business
    • Finance
  • Defense
    • All
    • Defence
    • Strategy
    • Weaponry
    reliance infrastructure in strategic partnership

    Reliance Infrastructure and Dassault Aviation Expand Falcon Jet Manufacturing to India

    congress leader likens operation sindoor to a computer game

    Congress’ Patole terms Operation Sindoor as ‘Video Game’, Sparks Controversy

    India-Russia Pact on the Su‑57 as a Leap of Strategic Trust

    From Buyer to Partner: What the Su‑57 Means for India’s Military Autonomy Inside Russia’s Su‑57 Gamble with India

    Dassault and Tata to Begin Rafale Fuselage Production in India

    Dassault and Tata to Begin Rafale Fuselage Production in India, Marking Major Milestone in Defence Manufacturing

    • Defence
    • Strategy
    • Weaponry
  • Geopolitics
    • All
    • Africa
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Europe
    • South Asia
    • West Asia
    Air India Crash: Probe Intensifies as Global Agencies Join In

    Air India Crash: Black Box May Be Sent to U.S.

    Khalistani Extremists Using Canadian Soil to Fund and Plot Anti-India Attacks: Canada's intelligence agency CSIS

    Khalistani Extremists Targeting India from Canada: Canada’s Intelligence Agency

    operation sindhu

    110 Indian Students Evacuated from Iran Under ‘Operation Sindhu’

    PM Modi's visit may propel for India-Canada FTA

    India-Canada Diplomatic Reset: Modi and Carney Pave Way for Trade Talks

    • Africa
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Europe
    • South Asia
    • West Asia
  • Knowledge
    • All
    • Culture
    • Education
    • History
    • Indology
    India Makes Global Strides in QS Rankings 2026 with Record 54 Institutions

    India’s Education Sector Makes Global Strides in QS Rankings 2026 with Record 54 Institutions

    jagannath rath yatra

    Everything You Need to Know About Jagannath Rath Yatra: History, Significance, Rituals, and Celebrations

    Bobby Mukkamala Becomes 1st Indian-American President of AMA

    Bobby Mukkamala Becomes First Indian-American President of the American Medical Association

    The Vedic Ethos: A Civilization of Knowledge and Inquiry

    From Rigvedic Wisdom to Modern Decay: How Islamisation Crushed a Knowledge Civilization

    • Culture
    • History
    • Indology
  • Law
  • Lounge
    • All
    • Books
    • Cinema
    • Entertainment
    • Food
    • Games
    • Health
    • Lifestyle
    • Satire
    • Sports
    • technology
    • Travel
    Lenacapavir becomes first FDA-approved HIV preventive drug

    FDA Approves First Twice-Yearly HIV Prevention Shot: Lenacapavir

    the world's most liveable cities in 2025

    Copenhagen Named World’s Most Liveable City for 2025, Surpassing Vienna

    Air India flights getting cancelled after Ahmedabad plane crash

    After Ahmedabad Crash, several Air India Flights Face Technical Issues

    India's quantum leap

    India’s Quantum Leap: DRDO and IIT Delhi Develop Ultra-Secure Communication

    • Books
    • Cinema
    • Food
    • Health
    • Sports
    • technology
    • Travel
    • Satire
Tfipost.com
  • Premium
  • Politics
    • All
    • Analysis
    • Opinions
    • Trending
    Kaleshwaram Project Under Political Fire in Telangana

    Irrigation or Irregularities? Kaleshwaram Project Under Political Fire in Telangana

    Air India Crash: Probe Intensifies as Global Agencies Join In

    Air India Crash: Black Box May Be Sent to U.S.

    Congress Sparks Outrage Over Use of Distorted Indian Map in Social Media Post

    Congress Sparks Outrage Over Use of Distorted Map of India in Social Media Post

    Congress leader Rahul Gandhi

    Where Is Rahul Gandhi? On His 55th Birthday, the ‘Youth Leader’ Still Seems ‘Missing’

    • Analysis
    • Opinions
    • Trending
  • Economy
    • All
    • Business
    • Economy1
    • Finance
    India Makes Global Strides in QS Rankings 2026 with Record 54 Institutions

    India’s Education Sector Makes Global Strides in QS Rankings 2026 with Record 54 Institutions

    Get Insurance: Secure your Tomorrow with Confidence

    Get Insurance: Secure your Tomorrow with Confidence

    real estate

    US Firms Hit All-Time High in Office Space Leasing Across India: Report

    PM Narendra Modia

    11 Years of Modi Govt: Making Welfare Seamless with Direct Benefit Transfers, DigiLocker, UMANG

    • Business
    • Finance
  • Defense
    • All
    • Defence
    • Strategy
    • Weaponry
    reliance infrastructure in strategic partnership

    Reliance Infrastructure and Dassault Aviation Expand Falcon Jet Manufacturing to India

    congress leader likens operation sindoor to a computer game

    Congress’ Patole terms Operation Sindoor as ‘Video Game’, Sparks Controversy

    India-Russia Pact on the Su‑57 as a Leap of Strategic Trust

    From Buyer to Partner: What the Su‑57 Means for India’s Military Autonomy Inside Russia’s Su‑57 Gamble with India

    Dassault and Tata to Begin Rafale Fuselage Production in India

    Dassault and Tata to Begin Rafale Fuselage Production in India, Marking Major Milestone in Defence Manufacturing

    • Defence
    • Strategy
    • Weaponry
  • Geopolitics
    • All
    • Africa
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Europe
    • South Asia
    • West Asia
    Air India Crash: Probe Intensifies as Global Agencies Join In

    Air India Crash: Black Box May Be Sent to U.S.

    Khalistani Extremists Using Canadian Soil to Fund and Plot Anti-India Attacks: Canada's intelligence agency CSIS

    Khalistani Extremists Targeting India from Canada: Canada’s Intelligence Agency

    operation sindhu

    110 Indian Students Evacuated from Iran Under ‘Operation Sindhu’

    PM Modi's visit may propel for India-Canada FTA

    India-Canada Diplomatic Reset: Modi and Carney Pave Way for Trade Talks

    • Africa
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Europe
    • South Asia
    • West Asia
  • Knowledge
    • All
    • Culture
    • Education
    • History
    • Indology
    India Makes Global Strides in QS Rankings 2026 with Record 54 Institutions

    India’s Education Sector Makes Global Strides in QS Rankings 2026 with Record 54 Institutions

    jagannath rath yatra

    Everything You Need to Know About Jagannath Rath Yatra: History, Significance, Rituals, and Celebrations

    Bobby Mukkamala Becomes 1st Indian-American President of AMA

    Bobby Mukkamala Becomes First Indian-American President of the American Medical Association

    The Vedic Ethos: A Civilization of Knowledge and Inquiry

    From Rigvedic Wisdom to Modern Decay: How Islamisation Crushed a Knowledge Civilization

    • Culture
    • History
    • Indology
  • Law
  • Lounge
    • All
    • Books
    • Cinema
    • Entertainment
    • Food
    • Games
    • Health
    • Lifestyle
    • Satire
    • Sports
    • technology
    • Travel
    Lenacapavir becomes first FDA-approved HIV preventive drug

    FDA Approves First Twice-Yearly HIV Prevention Shot: Lenacapavir

    the world's most liveable cities in 2025

    Copenhagen Named World’s Most Liveable City for 2025, Surpassing Vienna

    Air India flights getting cancelled after Ahmedabad plane crash

    After Ahmedabad Crash, several Air India Flights Face Technical Issues

    India's quantum leap

    India’s Quantum Leap: DRDO and IIT Delhi Develop Ultra-Secure Communication

    • Books
    • Cinema
    • Food
    • Health
    • Sports
    • technology
    • Travel
    • Satire
No Result
View All Result
Tfipost.com
Tfipost.com
No Result
View All Result
  • Premium
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Defense
  • Geopolitics
  • Knowledge
  • Law
  • Lounge

Displaying Religious Symbols on Private Property- Who made it criminal?

What is wrong in a saffron flag?

Guest Author by Guest Author
8 May 2020
in Opinions
religious symbols
Share on FacebookShare on X

Various reports from states like Jharkhand, Bihar and Telangana have emerged in the past one week and it was widely reported in media that some vegetable and fruit sellers are mounting saffron flags on their carts and business establishments with posters highlighting their religious identity. Surprisingly, the overzealous administration of these states interfered to detach these religious symbols and slap criminal charges on sellers as well as people providing the flags. The reason cited by the local administration for its actions is that the shopkeepers are indicating their shops as Hindu due to a communal gesture but a conversation with such sellers highlighted an entirely different story.

A poor dalit vegetable vendor from Begusarai on why he installed a saffron flag on his thela and how we was harassed in the mohalla of a different community.
(Video shared with me by a local activist) pic.twitter.com/RcdywQgjaT

— Swati Goel Sharma (@swati_gs) April 27, 2020

RelatedPosts

PM Modi issues veiled warning to Muhammad Yunus in first meeting since Sheikh Hasina’s ouster

Hindu Beliefs Drive Strongest Environmental Commitment Among UK Faith Groups

Islamo-Leftist ecosystem peddles fake news to further Hindu-Christian boogie on Christmas

Load More

Toona Mahto is a fruit and vegetable vendor in Bihar’s Begusarai district. A video of him narrating the harassment he faced in a locality for a saffron flag installed on his cart, recently went viral on social media. In the video, Toona says that as he entered the locality, residents surrounded him asking what it was that he wanted to prove through the saffron flag. The questioning soon turned into harassment and Toona was forced to turn his cart and leave. In the video, Toona says that he had installed the flag as he was tired of showing his identity card to customers. The consumers prefer to buy from a certain community out of their choice to avoid spreading of infection among their families. There are several reports to suggest that a large number of cases have taken place where members of certain communities have been reported to be spitting at healthcare officials, residents and in public, and at fruits and vegetables they sell. These statements and reports reveal a lot about the on-ground reality due to which mounting of religious flag is being incorrectly highlighted as communal.

In Bihar's Nalanda, an FIR has been filed on complaint by block officer over saffron flags at Hindu shops. I was surprised to see IPC 295A applied, which is for hurting others' religious sentiments.
The SHO cut my call when I asked this

Any legal opinion on this pls? pic.twitter.com/E0yI1P2IIX

— Swati Goel Sharma (@swati_gs) April 26, 2020

A similar account is provided by one Dheeraj Kumar, who was recently booked by the Laheri police for allegedly installing saffron flags at Hindu-owned shops. The police slapped charges of hurting religious sentiments, creating hostility between groups and even rioting on Dheeraj and a few other men. However, he repudiates the accusation and says it was the shop-owners and vendors who had asked him for flags as consumers are choosing to buy from a particular community and they installed the flags on their shops and carts themselves.

Dheeraj who belongs to a Dalit community said so in a 28th April letter to the National Commission for Scheduled Castes, in which he accused the administration and police of caste-based harassment. He had a large number of flags left from the Ramanavami festivities, which he gave to the sellers and they installed them out of choice. Thus, it could be concluded that installing of saffron flag on business establishments is not just to announce religious identity to the customers but in fact it is due to the buyers who prefer to purchase from certain communities. Even though if one announces his religious identity through display of other symbols associated with a religion, it cannot be considered as communal because it does not threaten the social harmony of a region.

A recent report suggests that some 350-600 members of the community who attended Tablighi congregation during mid-march at Nalanda has caused panic among the nearby areas and it is motivating people to avoid any risk when it comes to their safety and well-being. It is being argued by media and commentators that the public sentiment is based on “Islamophobia” which is totally incorrect and ill-informed reading of the reality. It’s people’s stride of survival which is pushing them towards taking such measures, also the practice of installing religious symbols on commercial establishments is neither new nor limited to only one community.

One could go to any highway or any village or any city, green Islamic flags on shops and hoardings of ‘Muslim hotel’ and ‘Muslim dhaba’ are a routine sight. Display of religious symbols are very common place in order to identify type of food which is being served in an establishment, pure vegetarian restaurants have commonly used deity names and symbols to ensure their survival and livelihood. Whether such display of religious identity is communal? Whether the action taken by the police is legally justified? Whether the fundamental Right to religious freedom as enshrined in our Constitution has been violated by the Police?

As a resident of Hyderabad, when ever we pass from old city areas it's difficult to even differentiate the pattern of the flags to be Islamic or 🇵🇰 Pakistani,this doesn't bother so called Ganga Jamuni thezeeb seculars.
But a vendors 🚩 is communal?#hyderabadpolice_hinduphobia pic.twitter.com/sbj5tOdA4e

— Rahul Singh Thakur (मोदी का परिवार) (@Rahul_thakur8) April 26, 2020

Our Constitution architectures gave birth to a model of political structure that safeguards all religions with equal respect and regard. The approach which is usually adopted by the state as per constitutional provisions is the one that upholds ‘principled distance’ from religion. In case a practice of religion contravenes public order, morality, health, egalitarian social order and goals of the welfare State envisioned for holistic improvement of the individuals and communities, the State could intervene and prohibit such practice. Thus, the intervention or non-intervention of State depends on maintaining religious liberty, egalitarian social order and harmony with human dignity.

The Indian judiciary tells in unambiguous language that the Constitution recognizes the importance of religion in people’s life, and that it holds religious liberty as a fundamental value of the Indian political community. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar in one of the debates during the time of Constitution framing had highlighted that religion thrives in India and it remains an important aspect of Indian ethos, its popular customs and practices are multifarious and often unrestrained.

Display of religious symbols on private businesses and establishment is not prohibited under the law, if police tries to stop such expression then it is violating your fundamental right under Article 19, 21 and 25 of the Constitution. No police or government official is above the rule of law and hence the same shall be condemned. Article 19(1)(g) of the Constitution reads that all citizens shall have the right to practice any profession or carry on any occupation, trade or business, any violation of this tramples upon the fundamental rights.

A reading of Article 21 follows the same conclusion as Right to Life does not mean mere ‘animal existence’ but it also includes right to live with ‘human dignity’ and includes right to ‘livelihood’. In one of the famous Supreme Court cases decided in 1985, Olga Tellis and Ors. Vs. Bombay Municipal Corporation, an equally important facet of right to life was highlighted where it was declared by the apex court that depriving someone of their right to livelihood is equivalent to depriving them of their right to life.

Article 25 of the Constitution states that all persons are equally entitled to freedom of conscience and the right to freely profess, practice, and propagate religion subject to public order, morality and health.

In the current instance no community is being deprived of any of their religious rights. Declaration of one’s faith freely and openly constitutes right to profess a religion. The constitutional right to profess religion give the right to showcase one’s religion in such overt actions such as putting on specific garments, taking out religious processions, worship in public places within the domain of profession of religion. It could also be done through teaching, practicing and observing religious precepts and ideals where no aim of its proliferation is involved. Exhibiting one’s religious identity should fall under the ambit of this right, any sort of intervention by the state authorities against professing such right and labelling the expression of religious identity as communal is high-handed and disregards the rights of the individuals.

With respect to the criminal charges pressed against the vegetable vendors – there are no reports to suggest that religious symbols were being forcefully imposed by a community, nor there has been any interference with other’s right to profess religion. Slapping of criminal charges under Section 147, 295A of IPC and 107 of CrPC are out of proportion and they are based on an assumption that social fabric of a region gets disturbed by mere display of religious symbols on a private establishment. The ingredients of Section 147 require some sort of violence which has taken place by an act of the perpetrator, peaceful display of religious symbols is nothing but right to profess religion within the ambit of the Constitution. As it has been explained above that there was no deliberate attempt to outrage the feelings of any particular community through display of religious symbols by choice, attracting Section 295A of IPC is unexplainable. Therefore, the local administration in various states should regard the rights of all communities and remain unbiased in their approach while maintaining public order.

(The article was authored by Akshat Kaushik. He is a final year B.A.LL.B. student at the West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences. He tweets at @akshatkaushk. Written with inputs from Shubhendu Anand.)

Tags: HindusReligious symbols
Share492TweetSend
Previous Post

The coronavirus situation in Russia is so damn bad that doctors are jumping off hospital buildings and dying

Next Post

Commie functionary of Guruvayur Temple in Kerala allows CPM government to loot Rs. 5 Crore from temple

Related Posts

way ahead of G7 summit
Opinions

When The Summit Became A Stage: The G7, Trump’s Exit, And Fractured World

17 June 2025

In the crisp alpine air of Kananaskis, nestled amidst the brooding Rockies of Alberta, world leaders gathered to forge...

The Tale of how Operation Sindoor Silenced Satyapal Malik and His Echo Chamber
Opinions

Operation Sindoor Success: Satyapal Malik and ilks disappears into abyss of silence

8 May 2025

On May 6, former Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satyapal Malik appeared in a much-publicised interview with controversial journalist Karan...

Operation Sindoor
Defense

Why Operation Sindoor? Because No One Touches the Sindoor of an Indian Woman Without Consequence

7 May 2025

In a rapid and decisive response to the Pahalgam Islamist attack that claimed the lives of 26 innocent tourists...

Load More

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

I agree to the Terms of use and Privacy Policy.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Currently Playing

when the God leaves the temple to be with his devotees.

when the God leaves the temple to be with his devotees.

00:05:31

R.P. Singh Exposes AAP: Following Indira's Model of Separatist Appeasement?

00:11:04

kamakhya Devi and the Power of Menstruation: Ambubachi Mela Explained.

00:04:47

From love to murder- how five plots took down raja raghuvanshi

00:04:38

Marriage gone murderous: expert explains the gruesome murder case.

00:13:01
Facebook Twitter Instagram Youtube
tfipostTfipost.com
Right Wing | News Analysis | Indian Opinion
  • About us
  • Careers
  • Brand Partnerships
  • Terms of use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Sitemap

©2025 TFI Media Private Limited

No Result
View All Result
  • Premium
  • Politics
    • Analysis
    • Opinions
    • Trending
  • Economy
    • Business
    • Finance
  • Defense
    • Defence
    • Strategy
    • Weaponry
  • Geopolitics
    • Africa
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Europe
    • South Asia
    • West Asia
  • Knowledge
    • Culture
    • History
    • Indology
  • Law
  • Lounge
    • Books
    • Cinema
    • Food
    • Health
    • Sports
    • technology
    • Travel
    • Satire
TFIPOST हिन्दी
TFIPOST Global

©2025 TFI Media Private Limited