New Delhi: The Supreme Court has said slammed Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Nishikant Dubey for remarks against it and Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna and said the remarks were highly irresponsible and tend to “scandalise” and lower the authority of the top court.
A bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar censured the BJP MP in an order in a plea seeking initiation of suo motu criminal contempt proceedings against him for making remarks against the Supreme Court and CJI Sanjiv Khanna.
What did Nishikant Dubey say?
Dubey criticised the Supreme Court for hearing pleas against the Waqf (Amendment) Act, saying “(the) Supreme Court is taking the country towards anarchy” and naming CJI Khanna as “responsible for all the civil wars happening in India.”
Though the top court dismissed the plea filed by Tiwari but said that the assertions made by Dubey tend to scandalize and lower the authority of the Supreme Court of India, if not interfere or tend to interfere with the judicial proceedings pending before it, and have the tendency to interfere and obstruct the administration of justice.
Comments were highly irresponsible: Apex Court
“The comments were highly irresponsible and reflect a penchant to attract attention by casting aspersions on the Supreme Court of India and the Judges of the Supreme Court. This apart, the statements show ignorance about the role of the constitutional courts and the duties and obligations bestowed on them under the Constitution,” the bench said.
Courts are not as fragile as flowers to wither and wilt under such ludicrous statements: Apex Court
“At the same time, we are of the firm opinion that courts are not as fragile as flowers to wither and wilt under such ludicrous statements. We do not believe that the confidence in and credibility of the courts in the eyes of the public can be shaken by such absurd statements, though it can be said without the shadow of doubt that there is a desire and deliberate attempt to do so,” the bench added.
The top court said the statements made by Dubey reflect the clear intent to impute motives to the bench itself by naming the Chief Justice of India as “responsible for all the civil wars happening in India” and “in order to incite religious wars in this country, it is only and only the Supreme Court that is responsible”.
Any attempt to spread communal hatred or indulge in hate speech must be dealt with an iron hand: Apex Court
The apex court, while dismissing the plea, made it clear that any attempt to spread communal hatred or indulge in hate speech must be dealt with an iron hand.
“While we are not entertaining the present writ petition, we make it clear that any attempt to spread communal hatred or indulge in hate speech must be dealt with an iron hand. Hate speech cannot be tolerated as it leads to loss of dignity and self-worth of the targeted group members, contributes to disharmony amongst groups, and erodes tolerance and open-mindedness, which is a must for a multi-cultural society committed to the idea of equality. Any attempt to cause alienation or humiliation of the targeted group is a criminal offence and must be dealt with accordingly,” the bench said.
