'Only True Religion' Claim an Insult to Others' Beliefs: HC
By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam
31 March 2026
Recently, The Allahabad High Court refused bail to a Christian priest, observing that in secular India it is wrong for anyone to assert that their religion is the “only true faith”. The court noted that such claims can insult other religions and may fall under Section 295A of the Indian Penal Code. The case stems from an FIR lodged in Mau district, Uttar Pradesh, in 2023, alleging that the accused, during prayer meetings, claimed Christianity to be the “only true religion”, thereby allegedly hurting the sentiments of other communities. Justice Saurabh Srivastava, on Wednesday (March 25, 2026), rejected the plea filed by Vineet Vincent Pereira.
“By a bare perusal of the narrations in the FIR, it is evident that the applicant, in his prayer meetings, repeatedly stated that there is only one true religion - Christianity - and in doing so, hurt the sentiments of a particular community, namely Hindus. India is a land where people of all faiths coexist in a secular state as defined by the Constitution. Therefore, it is wrong for any religion to claim it's the only true faith, as it implies disparagement of other religions.
Though the verdict is correct and balanced and the Judge's observations are also insightful, the whole issue is complex and tricky. Why does an evangelist or a preacher say that his faith is the best? Because it's the most effective way to convert the gullibles. Unless an evangelist says that his religion (read Christianity) is the best of all faiths and his Jesus is the only Saviour, why on earth should a Hindu, Sikh or Dalit embrace Christianity? Comparison is integral to proselytization. Go to the interiors of Punjab and even the main cities like Ludhiana, Patiala, Amritsar, Kapurthala, etc. and see the prayer meetings of Christian missionaries and evangelists. These outright unethical evangelists, who're no less than rogues, openly claim that only Christ can save the 'misguided' souls and Christianity is the ONLY TRUE faith. All other faiths are false and fake. Overwhelmed by such outlandish claims, credulous Hindus and Sikhs accept Christianity and a PUTATIVE Jesus en masse. This is the modus operandi of all missionaries, agents and evangelists of Christianity across the country. These people are active all over India.
They openly disparage other faiths and eulogise Christianity as the only faith that can save the souls and 'fallen' humans. Muslim preachers also indulge in the same activities while converting the followers of other faiths to Islam. To stop this nonsense, there must be a blanket ban on all sorts of conversions. A secular country doesn't mean that anyone should be able to spread his / her damn god's word. Let people reject or accept any faith of their own accord. If conversions aren't completely banned, people like Vineet Vincent Pereira will continue to claim that their respective faith is the best. By the way, his first name, Vineet, suggests that he himself is a converted Christian and those who're converted are often overzealous when it comes to religion. No Jesus, Moses, Muhammad, Zarathustra, Ram, Krishna, Bhagwan, God or Allah are doing anything to save mankind. Only humans can save their fellow humans. If you cannot live without a religion, call humanity as your faith.
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A regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul is a researcher in comparative religions, with special reference to Islam. He has contributed articles to the world's premier publications in several languages including Persian.
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