The Patiala House Court on Wednesday refused to ban the publication, circulation and sale of a book written by former Union Minister Salman Khurshid. The book made comparisons between Hindutva and terrorist groups such as the ISIS and Boko Haram.
The suit was filed by a Hindu Sena President Vishnu Gupta, who sought directions to the authorities concerned to ban the publication, circulation and sale of the book, “Sunrise over Ayodhya”. According to the petitioner, the book hurts the sentiments of the people who follow Hindu religion.
However, the Court said that the author and the publisher had the right to write and publish the book.
“In the opinion of this court, neither a prima facie case nor any exceptional circumstance for grant of ad-interim ex-parte injunction in favour of the plaintiff is made out in the present case.”
Additional Civil Judge Preeti Parewa
The book has created a stir across the country, some political leaders appreciated the book and on the other hand some of them refused to accept it.
However, some of Khurshid’s colleagues from Congress disagreed with his views. Ghulam Nabi Azad had called the portion of the book “factually wrong”.
“We may not agree with Hindutva as a political ideology but comparing it with ISIS and Jihadist Islam is factually wrong and exaggeration.”
Ghulam Nabi Azad.
The opposition party, BJP, accused Khurshid of hurting religious sentiments of the people.
“If Sonia Gandhi respects Hindus, then she should come out and explain it. If you remain silent, then it will be clear that yout ideology is also against Hindus.”
Gaurav Bhatia ( Spokesperson BJP)
The Judge while declining the ban on the book said, “the plaintiff has failed to establish that the balance of convenience lies in his favour. Hence, the prayer for ad-interim ex-parte relief is declined at this stage”.
The suit filed by Vishnu Gupta says that the book is an attempt to ‘demonise’ the Hindu religion. It further states that the book, arguing the Hindutva-ISIS comparison left him ‘shocked’.
The book consist of a controversial excerpt on page number 113 of the book, which says that ‘classical Hinduism known to sages and saints were being pushed aside by a robust version of, by all standards, a political version similar to the jihadist Islam groups like the ISIS and Boko Haram of recent years’.
The plea stated that the book launch event aimed at polarising and gaining the votes of the minorities in the state and it seeks a prohibitory injunction to prohibit the publication, distribution, circulation and sale of the book in the larger interest of the society.
However, the Delhi Court refused to grant ex-parte injunction in the lawsuit.