NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday decided to examine next week a plea raising concern over BJP MP Nishikant Dubey's recent criticism of the apex court and Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna, and seeking removal of derogatory videos from social media platforms.
A bench of Justices B R Gavai and Augustine George Masih agreed to consider the matter upon a mentioning made by a counsel.
He quoted Dubey as saying that the CJI was responsible for "civil wars" in the country and after the video of his remarks went viral, derogatory phrases were being used on social media for the top court.
"This is a very serious issue," the counsel said.
"What (do) you want to file? You want to file a contempt petition," the bench asked the counsel, who said that he has already filed a petition in the matter in the apex court, as the government was not taking action against the MP.
He said one of his colleagues wrote to attorney general R Venkataramani seeking his consent to initiate contempt proceedings against Dubey but there was no outcome.
"The issue is, at least give directions today to the social media platforms to remove these videos," he said.
The bench said the matter would be listed for hearing next week.
On Monday, as the matter was mentioned by the lawyer, the bench of Justices B R Gavai and Augustine George Masih asked him to take appropriate consent from the AG, R Venkataramani.
"You file it. For filing, you don't require our permission," the bench said, while clarifying that the petitioner needed to get a sanction from the AG in the matter.
BJP MP Nishikant Dubey lashed out at Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna Saturday for its order in connection with the just-enacted changes to the waqf law. He alleged that the CJI was responsible for civil wars happening in the country.
"If Supreme Court makes law then Parliament House should be closed," Dubey posted on X.
After Dubey's comments, there were a batch of pleas filed seeking initiation of contempt of court proceedings against him.
Advocate Anas Tanveer, representing one of the litigants in the Waqf Act case, and another advocate Shiv Kumar Tripathi wrote to Venkatramani seeking consent to initiate contempt proceedings against Dubey over his "grossly scandalous" remarks "aimed at lowering the dignity" of the top court.
The BJP, however, had on April 19 distanced itself from Dubey's criticism of the Supreme Court, with party president J P Nadda calling the comments his personal views.
