Swami Prasad Maurya
The Supreme Court issued notice to the Uttar Pradesh government and the petitioner on the petition filed by Samajwadi Party leader Swami Prasad Maurya, the Supreme Court sought a reply within four weeks. The Supreme Court stayed the proceedings going on in the lower court. Maurya’s lawyer said that proper procedure was not followed. In such a situation, it is not appropriate for the High Court not to dismiss the criminal complaint.
Swami Prasad Maurya files petition
The leader of the Samajwadi Party, Swami Prasad Maurya, filed a plea last week asking the Allahabad High Court’s Lucknow bench to order the suppression of court proceedings in a Pratapgarh district court pertaining to comments made against Tulsidas’ Ramcharitmanas.
After reviewing the charge sheet and additional information in the file, the bench determined there was enough evidence to build a preliminary case against him. It decided that Maurya should go to trial in the lower court as a result.
Swami Prasad Maurya had argued that there was little proof and that the prosecution against him was politically motivated. He had argued that under these conditions, it would be unfair to have him tried.
Supreme Court: public servants shouldn’t do anything that would cause a rift in the community
On the other hand, Justice Subhash Vidyarthi’s bench felt that public servants shouldn’t do anything that would cause a rift in the community. In response to Maurya’s alleged interpretation of a Manas “chaupayi” that offended women, Dalits, tribal people, and members of the lower class, the court declared,
The applicant, Samudra (Ocean), remarked to Shri Ramchandra ji in his Chaupayi, “Dhol Gawar Sudra Pasu Nari, Sakal Taadna Ke Adhikari,” with the goal of apologizing for his own lack of intelligence. The court emphasized this point. “In such a situation, when a statement made by a character who considers himself an idiot is presented without reference to all the relevant facts, it cannot be called a true distortion of the truth,” the bench stated.
Further court held that prima facie it appeared that Maurya incited people to incite rebellion. “Due to the above acts, Shri Ram Charit Manas, which is considered a holy book by a large section, was damaged and insulted by burning it,” court added while rejecting Muarya’s plea.
