Above: Supreme Court of India; (inset) green moon star flag

In an interesting development, Syed Wasim Rizvi, president of the Uttar Pradesh Shia Central Waqf Board, has demanded that the green moon star flag be banned in India. He has described this flag as the political flag of the Pakistan Muslim League (Qayd Azam) party.

The Supreme Court has agreed to hear this petition. On Monday (May 14) the top court bench of Justices N V Ramana and S Abdul Nazeer said that it was not a PIL bench, hence it was not on the roster. It has to given to appropriate bench.

In the petition, Rizvi said that the green flag with half moon and star marks has nothing to do with the religion of Islam. He has also said that hoisting this flag spoils the atmosphere.

Rizvi’s petition asks for action to be initiated against such institutions, individuals and religious institutions which, in the name of Islam, use green stars with moon stars.

For the hearing of the matter, the registrar has to decide which bench to send this matter to.

—India Legal Bureau