NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Thursday declined to entertain a contempt plea by senior bureaucrats and activists against the Ghaziabad District administration and the Uttar Pradesh Police for granting a Dharam Sansad between December 17 and 21 at Ghaziabad by Yati Narasinghanand Foundation.
A bench of Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna, and Justice Sanjay Kumar, however, directed the Uttar Pradesh government represented by Additional Solicitor General K M Nataraj, to keep a track of the speeches and proceedings conducted over there.
SC Refuses to Entertain Contempt Plea Against Ghaziabad Dharam Sansad
"Just because it did not entertain the plea, it was avoiding the issue," the bench said.
At the outset, the bench clarified to advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for the petitioners that the court would not entertain the petition.
"There are issues coming from both the sides, we are not entertaining. We have not entertained earlier and we were able to control it by passing orders," the bench said.
UP Govt Directed to Monitor Dharam Sansad Speeches for Hate Content
To Bhushan's contention that this is a serious matter, the bench said, "All the matters can't come to this court, if we entertain this, we have to entertain all, we will be flooded with all such petitions."
Bhushan raised the issue of bail conditions for Yati Narasinghanand.
"How can you approach the Supreme Court? You can move the High Court for cancellation of bail," the bench said.
The bench finally left it open for the petitioners to avail appropriate remedy under the law.
"We reiterate our earlier orders for all officers to maintain law and order and ensure compliance," the bench said.
Activist Aruna Roy, retired IAS, Ashok Kumar Sharma, Deb Mukarji and Navrekha Sharma, retired IFS, Syeda Hameed, former member planning Commission and NCW Chief and Vijayan MJ, social researcher and policy analyst moved the Supreme Court with a contempt petition.
They claimed willful and deliberate contempt of the orders of the Supreme Court wherein the court has directed all competent and appropriate authorities to take suo motu action against individuals or groups who indulged in communal activities and hate speeches.
"This is in view of the Dharam Sansad which is being organized between December 17-21 at Ghaziabad by Yati Narasinghanand Foundation. The website and the advertisements for this Sansad include several communal statements against the followers of Islam, inciting violence against Muslims," the plea claimed.
Acting on a writ petition by Shaheen Abdullah, the Supreme Court has on April 28, 2023 directed all States/UTs to register suo motu FIRs in offences such as Section 153A, 153B, 295A and 506 of IPC etc in cases of hate speech, without any complaint being filed.
