The Supreme Court has directed the Uttarakhand government to submit before April 22 the details of the status of cases registered on charges of objectionable provocative speeches against the Muslim community in an alleged religious parliament in Haridwar in December last year. Justice A. M. A bench headed by Khanwilkar issued notice to the Himachal Pradesh government on Wednesday after hearing a petition seeking a stay on a program organized on April 17 in Himachal Pradesh on the lines of Haridwar.The apex court gave these directions to both the governments on the application of petitioner journalist Kurban Ali and others. The bench refused to stay the proposed Dharma Sansad in Himachal Pradesh to be held on April 17, saying it was necessary to know the side of the government. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for petitioner Kurban Ali, had sought a direction to stay the proposed Dharma Sansad in Himachal Pradesh on Sunday.
The top court, however, allowed the petitioner, Kurban Ali, to meet the district authorities concerned for banning the Himachal program. The court directed the Uttarakhand government to submit the details of the status of action on the FIRs registered in relation to the Dharma Sansad of December 2021 in Haridwar before the next date of hearing, April 22. Public interest litigations were filed by former Union Minister Salman Khurshid, former Patna High Court judge and advocate Anjana Prakash and others against alleged objectionable speeches in Haridwar Dharma Sansad. The petitions filed before the apex court said, the speeches made in the name of Parliament of Religions are not only objectionable but also openly call for the killing of the entire community.
