The Supreme Court will hear on 29 January two separate pleas seeking contempt action against the governments of four states…
Supreme Court (Photo: Facebook)
The Supreme Court will hear on 29 January two separate pleas seeking contempt action against the governments of four states ~ Rajasthan, Haryana, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh ~ as well as a Rajput group Karni Sena for “violating” the top court’s order allowing the countrywide release of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s period film “Padmaavat” from 25 January.
A day after violence erupted in several states ~ including Rajasthan, Haryana, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh ~ as various Rajput outfits like Karni Sena and other groups went on a rampage to protest the release of Padmaavat, two contempt pleas were reportedly filed in the apex court on Thursday.
A contempt petition was filed in the top court by a Congress activist Tehseen Poonawalla, seeking action against the governments of Rajasthan, Haryana, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh for their alleged failure in dealing with mobs protesting the release of Padmaavat. His plea has alleged that these state governments “continue to allow disruptive activities of the Karni Sena and in not effectively cracking down upon their actions of violent hooliganism across the states … do not honour the judgement and order of this court.”
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To reinforce its charges, the plea has cited the incidents of vandalism and arson of shops and malls in Ahmedabad and the stone-pelting at a school bus in Gurgaon.
A similar plea was filed by a lawyer Vineet Dhanda seeking action against Karni Sena and its functionaries for “contempt of court” by resorting to violent protests against the movie in several states. “All fresh petitions will be taken up on Monday (29 January),” a Bench, headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dipak Misra, and also comprising Justice A M Khanwilkar and Justice D Y Chandrachud said.
Both the contempt pleas referred to various apex court orders clearing the decks for Padmaavat’s release in theatres across India with the observation that maintaining law and order is the constitutional duty of the state governments. On 23 January, the Supreme Court had rejected the pleas filed by the Rajasth
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