Supreme Court seeks Centre’s reply on Shia Waqf Board's plea against green flags

The Supreme Court on Monday directed the central government to file its response on the Shia Waqf Board chairman Syed Waseem Rizvi’s plea seeking a ban on hoisting green flags with a crescent moon and a star at buildings and religious places across the country.

The court asked Rizvi’s counsel to provide Additional Solicitor General Tushar a copy of the petition to enable him to file the reply on behalf of the Centre.

In his plea, the Shia Waqf Board chairman had sought a ban on the green flags with a crescent moon and a star, saying it was “un-Islamic” and resembled the flag of a Pakistani political party.

Rizvi also held the green flag being hoisted on several buildings and religious structures responsible for causing tension between the Hindu and Muslim communities.

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The plea filed by Rizvi also alleged that the flags resembled the flags of the Pakistan Muslim League, which belongs to an “enemy country”.

He said that such flags were being hoisted in Muslim-dominated areas with “utmost impunity”, claiming that the crescent and star in a green backdrop had no role or significance in Islam.