Delhi Police denied permission for the annual Way of the Cross procession on Palm Sunday, sparking outrage among Catholic organisations and political parties who labelled the move “unfair” and “shocking”.
The Catholic Association of the Archdiocese of Delhi (CAAD) expressed “deep shock and anguish” over the police’s refusal to allow the procession, which traditionally involves walking from St Mary’s Church in Old Delhi to the Sacred Heart Cathedral near Gole Market.
The police informed organisers of their decision at 9 pm on 12 April, just hours before the event scheduled for Palm Sunday on 13 April. Officials cited “law and order issues” and potential “traffic disruptions” as reasons for denying permission.
According to CAAD, the decision particularly stung because the association had sought permission well in advance, with Father Vincent D’Souza, vicar general of the Delhi Catholic Archdiocese, having written to the Delhi police commissioner on 10 March.
“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,” CAAD stated.
CAAD President A.C. Michael confirmed that Catholics have organised this particular procession since 2013, with exceptions during the COVID-19 pandemic and in 2023 when police cited “peculiar circumstances” related to the arrest of then-Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
The procession typically attracts around 2,000 Catholics who meditate on the 14 Stations of the Cross along the approximately three-mile route. This year, approximately 400-500 Catholics, led by Archbishop Anil JT Couto of Delhi, were expected to participate.
A Delhi Police spokesperson countered CAAD’s claims, stating: “This procession by CAAD started 2-3 years back, and each year we did not allow them [permission]. This is not something new. This [CAAD procession] would involve three [police] districts and lead to a number of issues.”
The spokesperson added that the police had “only officially denied them permission” and that devotees “can still go out and celebrate. Only the long procession from north and central Delhi to New Delhi is not allowed.”
The denial has drawn sharp criticism from various quarters. CAAD noted that the police’s reasoning was “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,” the association added.
The decision also created ripples in India’s political sphere. K.C. Venugopal, general secretary of the opposition Congress party, wrote to India’s Home Affairs Minister Amit Shah questioning: “Are Christians in Delhi excluded from Article 25 of the Constitution that guarantees freedom of religion? Since when did practising faith become a threat?”
In his letter, Venugopal further claimed that “denying permission without concrete reasons raises questions about the government’s commitment to upholding the fundamental right to practice and profess one’s religion freely.”
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) also issued a statement “strongly condemning” the decision.
Pinarayi Vijayan, Chief Minister of Kerala - the Indian state with the largest Christian population - lamented the decision, stating: “Such actions, which undermine the religious beliefs of minorities, are not in line with a pluralistic society.”
George Kurian, the federal minister of minority affairs, defended the decision, saying it “was based solely on security grounds.” He claimed permission was also denied for processions celebrating the birth anniversary of Hindu deity Hanuman on 12 April.
A BJP leader told UCA News that Delhi police have banned all public processions because of a “peculiar security situation” in the city related to the recent extradition from the US of Tahawwur Hussain Rana, accused of conspiring in the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attack.
“Officials just do not want terrorists to attack religious gatherings or use such events to retaliate in any way,” the leader explained, claiming all processions have been banned in Delhi since 10 April.
Another Palm Sunday procession in Delhi, led by the Christian Youth League and inaugurated by the Anglican bishop of Delhi, reportedly took place as usual.
The Sacred Heart Cathedral occupies a prominent site in New Delhi, the seat of India’s government. Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the cathedral at Easter in 2023 and attended a Christmas celebration in 2024 at the headquarters of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India.
The Delhi archdiocese has approximately 77,000 Catholics among the city’s population of nearly 30 million.
