News Analysis India

Tag: Prophet Mohammad

  • Dhannipur mosque in Ayodhya to be named after Prophet Mohammad

    Express News Service

    LUCKNOW: An umbrella body of mosques in India, All India Rabta-e-Masjid, has proposed to name the mosque to be built in Dhannipur village of Ayodhya district as “Mohammed Bin Abdullah Masjid”, after the Prophet.

    The decision was taken in the presence of around 1,000 clerics of various Muslim sects in Mumbai on Thursday, who gathered to finalise the design of the proposed mosque.

    As per the sources, the mosque will be built by Indo-Islamic Cultural Foundation Trust (IICFT) on land allotted to UP Sunni Central Waqf Board in Dhannipur village, 22-km away from Ram Janmabhoomi premises, in compliance with the Supreme Court order delivered in connection with the vexed issue of Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid on November 9, 2019.

    The apex court’s verdict settled the decades-long litigation paving the way for the construction of a Ram Temple in Ayodhya.

    Earlier, the design of the proposed mosque was contemporary and simple like other mosques usually built in India but later it was decided to build the mosque on the pattern of grand mosques of the Middle East and Arab countries with high minarets and big domes.

    “The Dhannipur mosque will be named after Prophet Mohammed-Bin-Abdullah, and its design will be inspired by ancient Islamic architecture. Pune architect Imran Sheikh will oversee its construction,” said Zufar Farooqui, chairman of the UP Sunni Central Waqf Board who attended the meeting in Mumbai.

    Farooqui added that the dimensions of the mosque would soon be shared, and hopefully, it would turn out to be one of the most beautiful mosques in the world.

    “The best thing about the new design is its traditional looks,” said the chairman.  The mosque will be bigger in size than what was proposed in the previous design and it will be able to accommodate more than 5,000 Namazis at a time.

    “We had prepared the blueprint to collect more than Rs 300 crore for the construction of the mosque. It is hoped that the drive to collect funds will be successful. We will start construction of the mosque as soon as funds are collected,” he said.

    He also said that a 300-bed charitable cancer hospital would be established by Dr Habil Khorakiwala, Chairman, of Wockhardt Group, the pharma giant. 

    The design of the proposed hospital, prepared by Professor SM Akhtar of Jamia Millia Islamia University, would remain the same and the museum, research centre and library would be dedicated to the freedom fighter of the 1857 revolt Maulvi Ahmadullah Shah Faizabadi, said Farooqui.

    Meanwhile, the maps of the proposed mosque and hospital are still with the Ayodhya Development Authority (ADA) as the IICFT has to pay Rs one crore as development charges to get the map released from the ADA. However, the UP government has given all necessary NOCs regarding the construction of the mosque and hospital. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp

    LUCKNOW: An umbrella body of mosques in India, All India Rabta-e-Masjid, has proposed to name the mosque to be built in Dhannipur village of Ayodhya district as “Mohammed Bin Abdullah Masjid”, after the Prophet.

    The decision was taken in the presence of around 1,000 clerics of various Muslim sects in Mumbai on Thursday, who gathered to finalise the design of the proposed mosque.

    As per the sources, the mosque will be built by Indo-Islamic Cultural Foundation Trust (IICFT) on land allotted to UP Sunni Central Waqf Board in Dhannipur village, 22-km away from Ram Janmabhoomi premises, in compliance with the Supreme Court order delivered in connection with the vexed issue of Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid on November 9, 2019.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    The apex court’s verdict settled the decades-long litigation paving the way for the construction of a Ram Temple in Ayodhya.

    Earlier, the design of the proposed mosque was contemporary and simple like other mosques usually built in India but later it was decided to build the mosque on the pattern of grand mosques of the Middle East and Arab countries with high minarets and big domes.

    “The Dhannipur mosque will be named after Prophet Mohammed-Bin-Abdullah, and its design will be inspired by ancient Islamic architecture. Pune architect Imran Sheikh will oversee its construction,” said Zufar Farooqui, chairman of the UP Sunni Central Waqf Board who attended the meeting in Mumbai.

    Farooqui added that the dimensions of the mosque would soon be shared, and hopefully, it would turn out to be one of the most beautiful mosques in the world.

    “The best thing about the new design is its traditional looks,” said the chairman.  The mosque will be bigger in size than what was proposed in the previous design and it will be able to accommodate more than 5,000 Namazis at a time.

    “We had prepared the blueprint to collect more than Rs 300 crore for the construction of the mosque. It is hoped that the drive to collect funds will be successful. We will start construction of the mosque as soon as funds are collected,” he said.

    He also said that a 300-bed charitable cancer hospital would be established by Dr Habil Khorakiwala, Chairman, of Wockhardt Group, the pharma giant. 

    The design of the proposed hospital, prepared by Professor SM Akhtar of Jamia Millia Islamia University, would remain the same and the museum, research centre and library would be dedicated to the freedom fighter of the 1857 revolt Maulvi Ahmadullah Shah Faizabadi, said Farooqui.

    Meanwhile, the maps of the proposed mosque and hospital are still with the Ayodhya Development Authority (ADA) as the IICFT has to pay Rs one crore as development charges to get the map released from the ADA. However, the UP government has given all necessary NOCs regarding the construction of the mosque and hospital. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp

  • Prophet row: SC reserves order on news anchor Navika Kumar’s plea seeking clubbing of FIRs

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday reserved its order on a plea filed by journalist Navika Kumar seeking clubbing of multiple FIRs lodged against her over controversial remarks made by former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma on Prophet Mohammad during a TV debate moderated by her.

    A bench of Justices M R Shah and Krishna Murari, which had earlier granted interim protection to Kumar on the FIRs, heard the submissions from all the parties and said it will pass orders.

    “Arguments concluded. Judgement reserved,” the bench said.

    At the outset, senior advocate Neeraj Kishan Kaul, appearing for Kumar, submitted that all the FIRs in the Nupur Sharma case have been transferred to Delhi and sought that the complaints be clubbed and transferred her case as well.

    The top court, however, said the order in Sharma’s case was passed in peculiar facts and circumstances as there was threat perception and not on merit.

    Solicitor General Tushar Mehta appeared for the Centre and submitted that the probe should go to the same state as in the case of Sharma.

    The apex court on August 8 had granted interim protection from arrest to Kumar and issued notices to the Centre, West Bengal government, and others on Kumar’s plea seeking quashing of proceedings initiated against her.

    Sharma’s remark on the Prophet during a TV debate had triggered protests across the country and drew sharp reactions from many Gulf countries.

    The BJP subsequently suspended her from the party.

    The top court had in July granted interim protection from arrest to Sharma in connection with the FIRs/complaints filed against her in several States over her remarks on the Prophet made during a TV debate show.

    It had also protected her from any coercive action in the FIRs/complaints which may be registered or entertained in the future about the May 26 telecast.

    NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday reserved its order on a plea filed by journalist Navika Kumar seeking clubbing of multiple FIRs lodged against her over controversial remarks made by former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma on Prophet Mohammad during a TV debate moderated by her.

    A bench of Justices M R Shah and Krishna Murari, which had earlier granted interim protection to Kumar on the FIRs, heard the submissions from all the parties and said it will pass orders.

    “Arguments concluded. Judgement reserved,” the bench said.

    At the outset, senior advocate Neeraj Kishan Kaul, appearing for Kumar, submitted that all the FIRs in the Nupur Sharma case have been transferred to Delhi and sought that the complaints be clubbed and transferred her case as well.

    The top court, however, said the order in Sharma’s case was passed in peculiar facts and circumstances as there was threat perception and not on merit.

    Solicitor General Tushar Mehta appeared for the Centre and submitted that the probe should go to the same state as in the case of Sharma.

    The apex court on August 8 had granted interim protection from arrest to Kumar and issued notices to the Centre, West Bengal government, and others on Kumar’s plea seeking quashing of proceedings initiated against her.

    Sharma’s remark on the Prophet during a TV debate had triggered protests across the country and drew sharp reactions from many Gulf countries.

    The BJP subsequently suspended her from the party.

    The top court had in July granted interim protection from arrest to Sharma in connection with the FIRs/complaints filed against her in several States over her remarks on the Prophet made during a TV debate show.

    It had also protected her from any coercive action in the FIRs/complaints which may be registered or entertained in the future about the May 26 telecast.

  • Supreme Court grants bail to hate speech accused in Haridwar Dharma Sansad case

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday granted bail to Jitendra Narayan Tyagi, an accused in the Haridwar Dharma Sansad case related to alleged inflammatory speeches made against Muslims.

    A bench of Justices Ajay Rastogi and B V Nagarathna directed Tyagi, formerly known as Wasim Rizvi, to furnish an undertaking before the trial court that he will not address electronic media or social media and shall not indulge in such alleged activities anymore, directly or indirectly.

    The petitioner may be produced before the Trial Court within three days and shall be released on post-arrest bail subject to such terms and conditions to the satisfaction of the concerned trial Court and furnishing undertaking in the above terms before the trial Court.

    “If the petitioner violates or commits a breach of any of the conditions on which bail has been granted to him, the respondents/prosecution is at liberty to move an application seeking cancellation of bail,” the bench said.

    The top court on August 29 refused to extend the interim bail granted earlier on medical grounds and directed Tyagi to surrender.

    The apex court on May 17 granted three months of interim bail to Tyagi on medical grounds and directed him to give an undertaking that he would not indulge in hate speech and not give any statement on electronic or digital or social media.

    Tyagi had approached the top court after the Uttarakhand High Court dismissed his bail plea in March this year.

    The case against him and others had been lodged on the complaint of Nadeem Ali, a resident of Jwalapur Haridwar at Haridwar Kotwali on January 2 this year.

    He had alleged in his complaint that Dharma Sansad or religious Parliament was organised in Haridwar by Hindu sages from December 17 to 19 last year and in the garb of this event, the participants were instigated to wage a war against Muslims.

    Objectionable words were allegedly used against the Holy Quran and Prophet Mohammad, Ali had said in his complaint, adding these provocative statements had later gone viral on social media. These videos were circulated by Tyagi, Yati Narsinghanand, and others, he had alleged.

    The FIR also alleged that an attempt was made by Prabodhanand Giri to spread violence against the people living in Haridwar’s mosques.

    On Ali’s complaint, Narsindhanand Giri, Sagar Sindhu Maharaj, Dharamdas Maharaj, Parmanand Maharaj, Sadhvi Annapurna, Swami Anand Swaroop, Ashwani Upadhyay, Suresh Chavan along with Swami Prabodhanand Giri, Jitendra Narayan were booked under various sections of the IPC for allegedly delivering hate speeches in the name of religion at the conclave.

    NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday granted bail to Jitendra Narayan Tyagi, an accused in the Haridwar Dharma Sansad case related to alleged inflammatory speeches made against Muslims.

    A bench of Justices Ajay Rastogi and B V Nagarathna directed Tyagi, formerly known as Wasim Rizvi, to furnish an undertaking before the trial court that he will not address electronic media or social media and shall not indulge in such alleged activities anymore, directly or indirectly.

    The petitioner may be produced before the Trial Court within three days and shall be released on post-arrest bail subject to such terms and conditions to the satisfaction of the concerned trial Court and furnishing undertaking in the above terms before the trial Court.

    “If the petitioner violates or commits a breach of any of the conditions on which bail has been granted to him, the respondents/prosecution is at liberty to move an application seeking cancellation of bail,” the bench said.

    The top court on August 29 refused to extend the interim bail granted earlier on medical grounds and directed Tyagi to surrender.

    The apex court on May 17 granted three months of interim bail to Tyagi on medical grounds and directed him to give an undertaking that he would not indulge in hate speech and not give any statement on electronic or digital or social media.

    Tyagi had approached the top court after the Uttarakhand High Court dismissed his bail plea in March this year.

    The case against him and others had been lodged on the complaint of Nadeem Ali, a resident of Jwalapur Haridwar at Haridwar Kotwali on January 2 this year.

    He had alleged in his complaint that Dharma Sansad or religious Parliament was organised in Haridwar by Hindu sages from December 17 to 19 last year and in the garb of this event, the participants were instigated to wage a war against Muslims.

    Objectionable words were allegedly used against the Holy Quran and Prophet Mohammad, Ali had said in his complaint, adding these provocative statements had later gone viral on social media. These videos were circulated by Tyagi, Yati Narsinghanand, and others, he had alleged.

    The FIR also alleged that an attempt was made by Prabodhanand Giri to spread violence against the people living in Haridwar’s mosques.

    On Ali’s complaint, Narsindhanand Giri, Sagar Sindhu Maharaj, Dharamdas Maharaj, Parmanand Maharaj, Sadhvi Annapurna, Swami Anand Swaroop, Ashwani Upadhyay, Suresh Chavan along with Swami Prabodhanand Giri, Jitendra Narayan were booked under various sections of the IPC for allegedly delivering hate speeches in the name of religion at the conclave.

  • Raj Thackeray supports Nupur Sharma over Prophet remark

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Tuesday supported suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma over her remarks against Prophet Mohammad.

    Controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik had said the same thing earlier but no one asked him to apologise, Thackeray said while addressing a meeting of MNS functionaries here.

    “Nobody asked Naik for an apology,” the MNS chief said.

    Thackeray also slammed the “Owaisi brothers” (AIMIM leaders) for allegedly ridiculing the names of Hindu gods.

    No action has been taken against them, he said, using an abusive term while referring to them.

    The MNS chief also taunted his estranged cousin and former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray over the latter’s claim that the BJP reneged on the promise of rotating the CM’s post after the 2019 Assembly elections in Maharashtra.

    ““When I was in Shiv Sena, Balasaheb (Thackeray) had decided that the party having more MLAs will have the CM post,”, he said.

    “Also, during the election campaign, PM Narendra Modi and Amit Shah had publicly said that Devendra Fadnavis (present Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra) will be the CM.

    “Why did you not object then instead of waiting for the poll results and going against the people’s mandate which was for the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance”,” he said.

    Raj Thackeray said the late Shiv Sena founder had hugged him when he was about to leave that party.

    ““I had gone to meet Balasaheb. He knew I was not staying (in the Sena). He hugged me and said: Now you can go,” the MNS chief recalled. I want to take Balasaheb’s ideology forward. It doesn’t matter if I don’t have the symbol (bow and arrow symbol of Shiv Sena),”” he said.

    ALSO READ | BJP suspends its Telangana MLA Raja Singh arrested for alleged remarks against Prophet

    MUMBAI: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Tuesday supported suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma over her remarks against Prophet Mohammad.

    Controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik had said the same thing earlier but no one asked him to apologise, Thackeray said while addressing a meeting of MNS functionaries here.

    “Nobody asked Naik for an apology,” the MNS chief said.

    Thackeray also slammed the “Owaisi brothers” (AIMIM leaders) for allegedly ridiculing the names of Hindu gods.

    No action has been taken against them, he said, using an abusive term while referring to them.

    The MNS chief also taunted his estranged cousin and former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray over the latter’s claim that the BJP reneged on the promise of rotating the CM’s post after the 2019 Assembly elections in Maharashtra.

    ““When I was in Shiv Sena, Balasaheb (Thackeray) had decided that the party having more MLAs will have the CM post,”, he said.

    “Also, during the election campaign, PM Narendra Modi and Amit Shah had publicly said that Devendra Fadnavis (present Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra) will be the CM.

    “Why did you not object then instead of waiting for the poll results and going against the people’s mandate which was for the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance”,” he said.

    Raj Thackeray said the late Shiv Sena founder had hugged him when he was about to leave that party.

    ““I had gone to meet Balasaheb. He knew I was not staying (in the Sena). He hugged me and said: Now you can go,” the MNS chief recalled. I want to take Balasaheb’s ideology forward. It doesn’t matter if I don’t have the symbol (bow and arrow symbol of Shiv Sena),”” he said.

    ALSO READ | BJP suspends its Telangana MLA Raja Singh arrested for alleged remarks against Prophet

  • Amravati pharmacist might be killed by gang ‘self inspired’ from ISIS: Officials

    Umesh Kolhe was killed on June 21 by two motorcycle-borne men by slitting his throat, allegedly for supporting now sacked BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma.

  • Ajmer dargah cleric arrested for call to ‘behead’ Nupur Sharma 

    By PTI

    JAIPUR: A cleric of the Ajmer dargah, who on camera allegedly offered his house to anyone who beheads now-suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma for her controversial remark against Prophet Mohammad, has been arrested, police said on Wednesday.

    Officials said accused ‘khadim’ Salman Chisti is a “history-sheeter” and that he might have recorded the video in an inebriated condition. The Ajmer police had registered an FIR against him on Monday night. “Salman Chisti was caught last night (Tuesday). He is a history-sheeter at the Dargah police station,” Dargah police station SHO Dalbeer Singh Foujdar said.

    Ajmer Assistant Superintendent of Police Vikas Sangwan said Chisti was caught at his residence in Khadim mohalla. “Prima facie, he made the video in an inebriated condition. He is being interrogated further,” the ASP added.

    In the video, the cleric is purportedly seen and heard announcing he would gift his house to anyone who brings Sharma’s head to him. Chishti is also allegedly heard saying he would shoot her dead for insulting the Prophet.

    “You have to give a reply to all Muslim countries. I am saying this from Ajmer, Rajasthan, and this message is from Huzur Khwaja Baba ka darbar,” he purportedly says in the video, referring to the Sufi shrine that sees many Hindu visitors, apart from Muslim devotees.

    Last week, four people were arrested in connection with another provocative speech allegedly delivered at the main gate of the Ajmer dargah on June 17.

    Though that video was in circulation earlier, the arrests were made following the killing of a Udaipur-based tailor Kanhaiya Lal by two men, who said they were avenging an insult to Islam. The two men were, however, caught by the police when they were fleeing on a motorcycle in Rajsamand.

    In all, five people have been arrested in connection with the murder case, which is being handled by the National Investigation Agency.

  • Udaipur killing: Some forces want to humiliate India in world, says BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya

    By PTI

    INDORE: Expressing outrage over the killing of a tailor in Udaipur allegedly for supporting former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma, senior BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya on Sunday said some forces want to humiliate India as its global reputation has gone up under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

    He also targeted Congress saying the grand old party is dismissing the Udaipur incident as a normal murder and not a terrorist act which has exposed its “real face”.

    “India’s reputation has increased globally under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership but some forces want to humiliate the country and they should not get political patronage,” Vijayvargiya told reporters when asked about the brutal killing of Kanhaiya Lal by some persons.

    Nupur Sharma was suspended by the BJP for making controversial comments about Prophet Mohammad.

    He said Congress is considering the gruesome incident as a normal murder, which is a terrorist act.

    “Making a video of the incident and circulating it means that the killers wanted to spread terror in society. I ask you had this incident happened in Uttar Pradesh (which is ruled by BJP) what would have happened? It is a question of the policy and intention of the government and a political party. After this incident, the real face of Congress has been exposed,” the BJP leader said.

    Queried on Congress’ claim that one of the accused in the murder case, Riyaz Akhtari, is linked to the BJP, Vijayvargiya said, “Now it is understood that there was a conspiracy behind this murder. If a person has to commit any (criminal) act in this office (BJP’s Indore office), he will first take online membership of BJP and then visit the party office by posing as a BJP member”.”

    A day earlier, the BJP had dismissed the Congress’ allegation that Akhtari was a member of the saffron party.

    Vijayvargiya also proposed imparting computer training in madrasas along with the Quran to help students of the Islamic seminaries to become doctors and engineers.

    “”We have no objection to the Quran being taught in madrasas. But computer training should also be imparted so that students get modern education,”” he said.

    Vijayvargiya said a person studying in a madrasa doesn’t become a doctor or an engineer.

    “”We want students of madrasas to become doctors or engineers as well, so education other than the Quran should also be imparted to them,”” he added.

    Vijayvargiya also said the experiment of providing modern education in madrasas has been started in Assam and Uttar Pradesh.

    He, however, termed the issue of madrasa education as a “broader subject” and said the government, as well as society, will have to ponder over it.

    “The society may allege that there is a need to control the education being imparted in madrasas, but we do not want to control it,”” he said.

  • Prophet remarks: Lookout notice issued for Nupur Sharma after she fails to appear before Kolkata Police

    By Online Desk

    KOLKATA: The Kolkata Police on Saturday issued a lookout notice for suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma after she failed to appear before its sleuths fourth time in a row over her controversial remarks on Prophet Mohammad that triggered widespread violence in parts of West Bengal, a senior officer said Saturday.

    She had skipped summons issued by officers of Amherst Street and Narkeldanga police stations, he said.

    “A lookout notice has been issued today after she failed to appear before our officers despite being summoned several times,” the police officer told PTI.

    She was summoned by each of the two police stations twice, he said.

    Amherst Street and Narkeldanga police stations had separately summoned her after FIRs were lodged against her last month, the officer said.

    Sharma had cited apprehensions of a possible assault on her if she visited Kolkata and sought four weeks’ time to appear before the police officers.

    The development came a day after the Supreme Court came down heavily on Sharma for her controversial comments, saying her “loose tongue” has “set the entire country on fire” and that she is “single-handedly responsible for what is happening in the country”.

    Refusing to entertain Sharma’s plea for clubbing of FIRs lodged in various states against her for the remark, the bench held that the comment was made either for cheap publicity, political agenda or some nefarious activities.

    “She actually has a loose tongue and has made all kinds of irresponsible statements on TV and set the entire country on fire. Yet, she claims to be a lawyer of 10 years standing. She should have immediately apologised for her comments to the whole country,” the court said.

    Sharma’s remark against the Prophet during a TV debate triggered protests across the country and drew sharp reactions from many Gulf countries.

    The BJP subsequently suspended her from the party.

    “These remarks are very disturbing and smack of arrogance. What is her business to make such remarks? These remarks have led to unfortunate incidents in the country. These people are not religious. They do not have respect for other religions. These remarks were made for cheap publicity or political agenda or some other nefarious activities”, the bench said.

    The court’s observations against the suspended BJP leader come in the backdrop of the brutal murder of a tailor in Udaipur by two men, who had posted videos online, claiming that they were avenging an insult to Islam.

    While refusing to entertain Sharma’s plea for clubbing of FIRs, a vacation bench of Justices Surya Kant and JB Pardiwala allowed her to withdraw the plea.

    ALSO READ | Ruckus in Odisha Assembly as Congress, BJP attack each other over Nupur Sharma remark

    “She has a threat or she has become a security threat? The way she has ignited emotions across the country… this lady is single-handedly responsible for what is happening in the country,” the bench said when Sharma’s lawyer Maninder Singh pointed out that she was facing threats to life.

    The bench further said,”the way she ignited emotions across the country has led to unfortunate incidents. This lady is single-handedly responsible for what is happening in the country. We saw the debate”.

    After the court’s unsparing criticism of Sharma, the Congress said the Supreme Court has rightly called out Sharma for being responsible for igniting emotions across the country with her remark against the Prophet, and that the ruling party should hang its head in shame.

    In a statement, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said the court has made crucial and far-reaching observations and strengthened the party’s resolve to fight “destructively divisive ideologies”.

    “These remarks by the Supreme Court, which resonate with the entire country, should make the party in power hang its head in shame,” he added.

    AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi demanded the immediate arrest of Sharma and said rule of law should prevail.

    Senior advocate Maninder Singh, appearing for Sharma, said she had indeed apologised for her remarks and there are several judgments that say there cannot be two FIRs for the same incident.

    The bench said,”her apology came too late and that too conditionally saying if religious sentiments are hurt and so on. She should have been on TV immediately and apologised to the nation”.

    The court said her petition smacks of arrogance and that she thinks that the magistrate of the country is too small for her.

    “When an FIR is registered and you are not arrested, this shows your clout. She thinks she thinks she has the power to back up and goes on to make irresponsible statements”, the bench said.

    Singh said Sharma was a spokesperson of a political party and her unintentional comments were in relation to a debate.

    “If you are a spokesperson of a party, it is not a license to say things like this,” the bench said, adding, “if there was a misuse of the debate, the first thing she should have done was to file an FIR against the anchor”.

    Singh said she had reacted to the debate initiated by other debators and pointed to the transcript of the debate.

    He said that there were serious debates on the issue within the same community and Sharma’s remarks were made in that context only.

    ALSO READ | If law does not act against Nupur Sharma, wrong message would be sent out: Left parties

    The bench said, “what was the TV debate for? Was it to fan an agenda and why did they choose a sub-judice topic? What is the business of the TV channel to discuss the matter which is sub-judice, except to promote an agenda?” Referring to various apex court verdicts, Singh said there cannot be a second FIR on the same cause of action.

    Justice Kant said she has remedy before the high court and can very well approach it, if there is a second FIR.

    Singh then referred to the Arnab Goswami case of 2020 and TT Antony case of 2001, and said the law has been laid down by the apex court that multiple FIR on the same configuration can be clubbed and there can be no second FIR on the same cause.

    The bench said,”the case of a journalist expressing his right on a particular issue is on a different pedestal from a spokesperson of a political party who is lambasting others with irresponsible statements without thinking of the consequences”.

    Justice Kant said, “Yes. In a democracy everyone has the right to speak. In a democracy grass has the right to grow and donkeys have the right to eat”.

    Singh said she has joined the investigation being conducted by the Delhi Police and not running away and multiple FIRs are lodged against her in Mumbai, Hyderabad, Nagpur to Jammu and Kashmir for the same cause of action.

    The bench said, “what has happened in the investigation so far? What has Delhi Police done so far? Don’t make us open our mouth? They must have put a red carpet for you.”

    Observing that in this case a special treatment was meted out to an individual, the bench said when an FIR is registered against someone he is arrested but Sharma was not arrested.

    After the hearing which lasted for nearly 30 minutes, the bench said it is not convinced with her bonafide and the conscience of the court is not satisfied and refused to entertain the petition saying “you avail other remedies”.

    The Left parties also hit out at the government over the Supreme Court’s observations.

    “We hope that beyond words, if according to the Supreme Court, Ms Sharma is responsible for starting the hate spiral & most recent reprehensible cycle of violence, she will be proceeded upon as per law,” CPI general secretary Sitaram Yechury said in a tweet.

    “But if the law does not act against her and others like her promoted by the party, who sow discord, separatism and damage India, the wrong message would go out. We would find many more like her mushrooming from the RSS/BJP’s hate factory and on vitriolic TV debates,” he said.

    ALSO READ | Ruling party should hang head in shame: Cong on SC observations against Nupur Sharma

    CPI MP Binoy Viswam tweeted, “Red carpet for Nupur Sarma, prison cells for Teesta and Sreekumar! Comments from Supreme Court should alert Modi Govt. Irresponsibility, driven by bigotry shouldn’t be the hallmark of any spokesperson. Such elements caused Udaipur incident. They should apologise to People & Nation.”

    Meanwhile, a letter petition was filed before Chief Justice N V Ramana seeking withdrawal of adverse remarks made by a Supreme Court bench against Sharma.

    The letter petition said that it be treated as a PIL and the adverse remarks made during the hearing be declared as “uncalled for”.

    The Delhi Police Friday said it had issued a notice to Sharma on June 18 and questioned her the same day for allegedly hurting religious sentiments.

    Deputy Commissioner of Police (Intelligence Fusion and Strategic Operations) KPS Malhotra Friday said a notice under section 41A CrPC (notice of appearance before police officer) was served on Sharma on June 18.

    She joined the investigation and her statement was recorded the same day, he said.

    (With PTI Inputs)

  • If law does not act against Nupur Sharma, wrong message would be sent out: Left parties 

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The Left parties on Friday sought an apology from suspended BJP leader Nupur Sharma for her recent remarks on Prophet Mohammad, and said if the law did not act against her, it would send out a wrong message.

    The Supreme Court on Friday came down heavily on Sharma for her controversial comments, saying her “loose tongue” has “set the entire country on fire” and that she is “single-handedly responsible for what is happening in the country”.

    Refusing to entertain Sharma’s plea for clubbing of FIRs lodged in various states against her for the remark, the bench held that the comment was made either for cheap publicity, political agenda or some nefarious activities.

    “It is a severe indictment of not Sharma’s views alone but of the misuse of authority the BJP exercises, it is an indictment of the divisiveness BJP promotes and the hate its leaders and trolls consistently fan, putting our country at great risk. It is the BJP that should also apologise and pledge to not indulge in further acts which are anti-Indian, unpatriotic and divisive,” said CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury in a tweet.

    He said the party hoped that action would be taken against Sharma.

    “We hope that beyond words, if according to Supreme Court, Ms Sharma is responsible for starting the hate spiral & most recent reprehensible cycle of violence, she will be proceeded upon as per law. BJP has suspended her only as of now, under international pressure.”

    “But if the law does not act against her and others like her promoted by the party, who sow discord, separatism and damage India, the wrong message would be go out. We would find many more like her mushrooming from the RSS/BJP’s hate factory and on vitriolic TV debates,” Yechury said.

    Comparing the cases of Sharma and AltNews co-founder Mohammad Zubair, Yechury said the top court should take cognisance of the latter as well.

    “We were hoping that the Supreme Court will take cognisance of the fact that a fact checker, journalist Mr Mohammed Zubair has been jailed for the flimsiest of reasons, on the prompting of a dubious handle that has now vanished. Police under BJP, only because he pointed out Ms Sharma’s hate-speech has victimised him. He should not have been in jail at all, but encouraged to continue his work as a diligent fact-checker to help counter the polarised, divisive world RSS/BJP has been desperate to shape,” he said.

    CPI MP Binoy Viswam too appreciated the remarks made by the apex court on Sharma and compared her case with that of Teesta Setalvad and Sreekumar.

    “Red carpet for Nupur Sarma, prison cells for Teesta and Sreekumar! Comments from Supreme Court should alert Modi Govt. Irresponsibility, driven by bigotry should n’t be hall mark of any spokesperson. Such elements caused Udaipur incident. They should apologise to People & Nation,” CPI MP Binoy Viswam tweeted.

    CPIML general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya said that in a way, the Supreme Court’s remark is an indictment of the present government’s “polarising discourse”. “It also amounts to an indictment of the hate-filled polarising discourse promoted by the regime and the impunity granted to hate merchants,” he said on Twitter.

  • ‘Disturbing, smack of arrogance’: SC hits out at Nupur Sharma for her comments on Prophet Mohammad

    By Online Desk

    NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday castigated suspended BJP leader Nupur Sharma for her “disturbing” remark against Prophet Mohammad, saying it has led to unfortunate incidents in the country The court said the remark was made either for cheap publicity, political agenda or some nefarious activities.

    Referring to her apology for the Prophet remarks, the apex court also said that it was too late and her comment led to unfortunate incidents.

    ““These remarks are very disturbing and smack of arrogance. What is her business to make such remarks? These remarks have led to unfortunate incidents in the country…These people are not religious.”

    “These people don’t have respect for other religions,” the court said on the suspended BJP leader’s plea to club FIRs against her for Prophet remarks.

    “Remark against Prophet were made either for cheap publicity, political agenda or for some nefarious activities,” it said further.

    The court also refused to entertain her plea to club FIRs in various states for her remark and allowed her to withdraw the petition.

    “What has Delhi police done? Don’t make us open our mouth? What was the TV debate for? Only fan an agenda? Why did they choose a sub judice topic?,” said Justice Surya Kant.

    “There must be a red carpet for you there,” the apex court bench remarked when Sharma’s lawyer informed it that she is joining the investigation and not running away.

    (With PTI Inputs)