PRAYAGRAJ, March 27 -- The Allahabad high court has observed that it is wrong for any person to claim in secular India that a particular religion is the "only true religion", as doing so implies a "disparagement" of other faiths and the same prima facie attracts Section 295A of the Indian Penal Code. The court made the observation while declining to interfere in criminal proceedings, where a person claimed his religion to be the only true religion. Justice Saurabh Srivastava dismissed a petition filed by Reverend Father Vineet Vincent Pereira, seeking quashing of criminal proceedings under Section 295A IPC [Deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs]. According to the FIR, the applicant allegedly conducted prayer meetings where he frequently stated that Christianity is the only religion, thereby hurting the sentiments of a particular religion, i.e. Hindu. The FIR was registered in 2023 at Muhammadabad police station in Mau district. During the initial probe, although the investigation officer concluded that no illegal religious conversion of marginalised sections had taken place, the police proceeded with the charge sheet regarding the allegations of criticising other religions. During the court proceedings, Father Vincent's counsel argued that he was falsely implicated to harass him and that, as per the FIR, no offence under Section 295A IPC was made out. The counsel for the state government argued that the applicant's contentions involved disputed questions of fact and required an appreciation of evidence. Justice Srivastava, at the outset, stressed that India is a land where people of all faiths and beliefs in a secular state, as defined by the Constitution of India, live together. The court, in its order dated March 18, observed, "it is wrong for any religion to claim that it is the only true religion as it implies a disparagement of other faiths." The court concluded that the opening line of Section 295A specifically deals with "deliberate and malicious" intentions to outrage the feelings of any class of citizen by insulting its religion or religious faith. The court said the applicant's act falls within the ambit of Section 295A of the IPC, and, as such, at this stage, it cannot be said that, prima facie, no case is made. The court clarified that a magistrate is only required to record a prima facie opinion based on the material on record and not hold a mini-trial or examine the defence of the accused at this initial juncture....