When I was a Judge in Allahabad High Court a case came before me in which some Muslims prayed that I should pass an order restraining some other Muslims from taking out a procession on the occasion of Eid-ul-Milad-un Nabi ( birthday of the Prophet ). They said that celebrating the Prophet's birthday amounts to worshipping the Prophet when Islam permits worshipping only Allah, and so it is 'shirk'.
The opposite party said that they did not worship the Prophet, but were only showing respect to him.
I dismissed the petition, saying that if the petitioners did not like taking out a procession on the Prophet's birthday they need not participate in it or even look in the direction of the procession, but they had no right to get it prohibited.
Under Article 19(1)(b) and (d) of the Indian Constitution all citizens had a right to assemble peacefully and move about freely, and under Article 25 there is freedom of religion.
Religious bigotry has no place in India, which is a country of great diversity. Even in the same religion different people may have different views and practices, and all must be allowed
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