New Delhi, April 10 -- The Supreme Court on Friday put on hold the criminal proceedings and summons against a Christian priest booked by Uttar Pradesh Police over his statements that Christianity is the only true religion.

A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta also issued notice to the Uttar Pradesh government and sought its response on a plea of Reverend Father Vineet Vincent Pereira challenging an Allahabad High Court order.

He challenged the March 18 order of the Allahabad High Court, which had refused to quash criminal proceedings against him.

The High Court, while dismissing the plea of Father Pereira, had observed that claiming a particular religion to be the "only true religion" is wrong in a secular country like Ind...