The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) on Monday asked the Supreme Court to implead Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in a writ petition filed by it, seeking the cancellation of symbols and names allotted to the political parties with religious connotations.
Appearing before a Bench led by Justice M.R. Shah, the IUML, represented by senior advocate Dushyant Dave and advocate Haris Beeran, said the "flower lotus is a religious symbol and very much related to Hinduism and Buddhism. Therefore, the BJP being a political party carrying a religious symbol ought to be impleaded in the writ petition".
The petition, filed by former Uttar Pradesh Shia Waqf Board Chairman Syed Waseem Rizvi (now converted as Jitendra Narayan Singh Tyagi), has sought a direction to the Election Commission to "cancel the symbol and name allotted to political parties using religion in their name or carrying religious connotations in their symbol".
However, the petitioner, according to IUML, added only it and another party, All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen, as respondents.
Mr. Dave argued that at least 26 national and regional political parties and urged the court to make them respondents. These parties from Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), Shiv Sena, Akhil Bharatiya Muslim League (Secular), Akhil Bharathiya Ram Rajyya Parishad, All India Christian Democratic and Backward People’s Party, Christian Democratic Front, Christian Mannetra Kazhakam to Hindu Munnani, Hindu Samhathi, Hindu Makkal Katchi, Hindu Mahasabha, Hindu Sena, Indian Christian Front League, Shivaji Congress Party, Shivrajya Party, etc..
"According to Hinduism, the lotus is very much related to Hindu Gods/Goddess and the same has been mentioned in the Holy Bhagavad Gita," the IUML application said.
Mr. Dave contended that the petition should either be dismissed for non-joinder of necessary political parties which are having religious names, symbols and connotations, or, in the alternative, the court should direct the petitioner to "implead all the national, State and registered unrecognised political parties using religious names, symbols and connotations".
Senior advocate K.K. Venugopal, appearing for AIMIM, said no fundamental rights of the petitioner has been infringed. He said the petition was not maintainable.
"He impleaded only two parties with Muslim names," Mr. Venugopal said. He said a similar petition is pending before the Delhi High Court. The Bench adjourned the case.
