MUMBAI, India – Citing security concerns, the Delhi police in India’s capital denied permission for the Palm Sunday “Way of the Cross” procession from St. Mary’s Church to Sacred Heart Cathedral. The parish accepts the decision respectfully.

Due to the restriction on holding the procession outside, the event was confined within the premises of the cathedral.

Meanwhile, the parish priest, Father Francis Swaminathan, responded to the media after the Mass, saying that he accepts the police’s decision. He said that for the last 15 years, the Way of the Cross has been held on Ash Wednesday and about 2,000 believers participate. He added that permission was denied in a similar manner years ago.

Usually, the Way of the Cross on Palm Sunday is organized at a distance of about six miles.

Since 2014, India has been ruled by the BJP, which has strong links to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a militant Hindu nationalist organization. Religious minorities have complained of increased harassment since the party took power on a Hindu-first platform.

Incidents of harassment against Christians and other religious minorities have increased across India, with various Christians being detained or arrested for “attempted conversion,” and places of worship being vandalized.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan called the move unconstitutional. Kerala state has a large Christian population in the predominantly Hindu nation.

The Chief Minister stated that the denial is a violation of religious freedom and the secular values enshrined in the Constitution. He emphasized that actions undermining the religious beliefs of minority communities are unacceptable in a pluralistic society.

Senior Congress leader KC Venugopal on Sunday slammed the BJP for allegedly denying permission for the Kuruthola Pradakshina procession in Delhi. He asked the rulers if Christians in the national capital are excluded from Article 25 of the Constitution.

In a letter addressed to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, he wrote, “I am writing to register my strong protest and deep concern over the recent denial of permission for the Kuruthola Pradakshina procession to the Sacred Heart Cathedral in Delhi – a church deemed significant enough for the Hon’ble Prime Minister to grace with his presence during Christmas and Easter.”

The Catholic Association of the Archdiocese of Delhi (CAAD) expressed its “deep shock and anguish” over the police’s decision to deny permission for the Way of the Cross procession, citing concerns related to law and order well as traffic management.

In a statement issued on Sunday (April 13), CAAD said the police’s reason, “is difficult to accept, especially when other communities and political groups are routinely granted permissions for processions and rallies, even during peak hours on working days”.

“Christians now question whether their constitutional right to religious freedom is being equally upheld,” it continued.

According to the CAAD, the Way of the Cross procession in Delhi has involved walking from the St Mary’s Church in Old Delhi to the Sacred Heart Cathedral in New Delhi’s Gole Market area.

“For over a decade, the annual Way of the Cross has been conducted with utmost discipline, peace and full cooperation with the authorities. Not once has there been a report of traffic disruption or law and order issue linked to our event,” the statement said.

“The denial of permission this year feels biased and unfair, casting a shadow on the principles of equal treatment and religious freedom,” it continued.

“Christians in Delhi – and across India – have always been a peaceful, law-abiding community. We appeal to the authorities to act judiciously and ensure that justice and equality are upheld. We urge that such actions do not create a sense of exclusion or doubt in the minds of minorities who contribute positively and peacefully to the nation’s fabric,” said the CAAD.

This article has been edited.