The Supreme Court on Monday directed former bureaucrats and social activists, who filed a petition against a ‘Dharam Sansad’ event in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, to email a request for urgent listing.
The petition alleges that the event organizers issued an open call for the “genocide of Muslims.”
During the hearing, a bench led by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna, along with Justice Sanjay Kumar, was approached by lawyer Prashant Bhushan, representing the petitioners. Bhushan stressed the urgent need for intervention as the event was set to begin on Tuesday.
Responding to the request, Chief Justice Khanna said, “I will consider. Please send an email.”
The ‘Dharam Sansad,’ organized by the Yati Narsinghanand Foundation, is scheduled to take place from Tuesday to Saturday at the Shiv-Shakti temple complex in Ghaziabad’s Dasna area. The petitioners have accused the Ghaziabad district administration and Uttar Pradesh Police of failing to comply with the Supreme Court’s earlier orders to take immediate action against individuals or groups engaging in communal activities and hate speech.
The contempt petition, filed by a group of social activists and former bureaucrats, highlights the authorities’ “willful and deliberate contempt” of these directives. The petitioners include noted activist Aruna Roy, retired IAS officer Ashok Kumar Sharma, and former IFS officers Deb Mukarji and Navrekha Sharma, among others.
The plea points to the controversial history of similar events. An earlier ‘Dharam Sansad’ held in Haridwar, Uttarakhand, drew widespread condemnation for alleged hate speeches targeting minority communities.
Following that incident, criminal cases were filed against several individuals, including Yati Narsinghanand, a key figure linked to the event.
The petitioners argue that despite these precedents and judicial directives, no preventive measures have been taken to stop the Ghaziabad event. They urge the Supreme Court to step in and ensure compliance with its orders to prevent hate speech and communal incitement.
As the ‘Dharam Sansad’ looms, the case underscores the ongoing debate over hate speech and the responsibility of authorities to uphold communal harmony. The Supreme Court’s decision on whether to hear the matter urgently is awaited.
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