Delhi riots: HC issues notice to Sonia Gandhi, Kapil Mishra, others over alleged hate speech
New Delhi, February 28: The Delhi High Court on Monday issued notices to several prominent political leaders including Congress president Sonia Gandhi, BJP leader Kapil Mishra, and activists and others while hearing a batch of petitions in connection with North East Delhi riots and alleged hate speeches by prominent political leaders.
The court has given notice on the impleadment pleas moved by the petitioners seeking FIRs against several political leaders for their alleged hate speeches. The Division Bench of Justice Siddharth Mridul and Justice Anoop Kumar Mehndiratta on Monday sought the response of Congress leaders including Sonia Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Rahul Gandhi and BJP leaders Anurag Thakur, Pravesh Sahib Verma, Kapil Mishra and others.
The High Court sought a response from all politicians, activists and others on the application which freshly impleaded them as a party in connection with the case. The bench has also issued notice to Aam Aadmi Party's Manish Sisodia, Amanatullah Khan, AIMIM's Akbaruddin Owaisi, Waris Pathan and activist Harsh Mander and others.
The case has been posted for March 22, 2022.
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Earlier, Senior Advocate Colin Gansolvis representing a petitioner had said he agreed to implead some leaders against whom his petition seeks action as a party. Meanwhile, Senior Advocate Sonia Mathur appearing for a petitioner 'Lawyer Voice' said she will also implead some political leaders as a party.
The court is currently hearing a slew of petitions related to the riots in North East Delhi in 2020, and alleged hate speeches by leaders and activists that sparked the violence in the wake of protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. Petitioners demanded that political leaders be held accountable if it is proven that their speech was connected to the violence.
Ajay Gautam, one of the petitioners, submitted that Delhi riots had not taken place over the night so national security issues were involved in the matter.
In his petition, he urged the court to initiate an investigation over the"anti-national forces" behind the agitations and to probe the role of the People's Front of India (PFI) which had allegedly "funded, motivated and supported the protests".
Apart from seeking action against those who allegedly gave hate speeches, some pleas have also sought other reliefs, including setting up of an SIT, FIRs against police officers who were reportedly involved in the violence, and disclosure of persons arrested and detained.
As many as 53 people lost their lives in the violence that erupted in northeast Delhi after clashes between two opposing factions over the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
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-PTC News
