‘There is a limit…’: Justice Chandrachud on report blaming SC for delay on plea about attacks on Christians

“I was down with Covid. So the matter could not be taken up,” the judge said, adding that he had come across a news report saying the Supreme Court was delaying the hearing in the matter.

“I recently read a news article saying the Supreme Court is delaying the hearing in the matter……Give us a break! One of the judges was down with Covid-19 and that’s why it could not be heard,” the anguished judge said.“There is a limit to how much you can target judges.”

The justice also wondered “who is publishing such news!”.

Directing that it be listed again, Justice Chandrachud said “otherwise there will be another news item”.

Bangalore archbishop Peter Machado and some Christian outfits filed the plea in April claiming there were increasing attacks on Christians across the country.

The matter was mentioned before a bench in the last week of June when the court was on summer recess. It was posted for hearing on July 11 upon the reopening of the court before the bench headed by Justice Chandrachud, but was deferred to July 15. However, it could not be taken up as he had been diagnosed with Covid-19.