Retired civil servants, activists move Supreme Court against proposed 'Dharam Sansad' in Ghaziabad between December 16 and 21

New Delhi: Senior bureaucrats and activists have moved the Supreme Court by filing a contempt petition against the Ghaziabad District administration and the Uttar Pradesh Police for allowing a Dharam Sansad between December 17 and 21 at Ghaziabad by Yati Narasinghanand Foundation.

Advocate Prashant Bhushan mentioned the plea before a bench led by Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna for urgent hearing.

The court, however, asked him to send a request by email.

The petitioners included 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.

The petitioners 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 organised between December 17-21 in 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.

On April 28, 2023, the top court, on a writ petition by Shaheen Abdullah, has 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.