'Religious Person In Power Gives Good Results, Yogi Adityanath An Example Of It': UP Judge Likens CM To Plato's Idea Of 'Philosopher King'

An Additional Sessions Judge in UP's Bareilly district recently hailed Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath as a great example of a “religious person” holding a seat of power in the State. He also likened CM Adityanath to the idea of a 'Philosopher King' as outlined by Plato in his Socratic dialogue, Republic.

"...the head of power should be a religious person because the life of a religious person is not one of enjoyment but of sacrifice and dedication. An example of this is the Peethadeshwar of the great Siddhapeeth Gorakhnath Temple, Mahant Baba Shri Yogi Adityanath ji, who is the current chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, and has proven the above concept to be true": said Additional District Judge-Fast Track Court (Bareilly) Ravi Kumar Diwakar.

"If a religious person sits on the seat of power, it gives very good results, as propounded by the philosopher Plato in his concept of the 'Philosopher King' in his book Republic. Plato said that there would be no end to suffering in our city-state until it had a philosopher king": Judge Diwakar added.

These observations were made by Judge Diwakar while summoning a Muslim Cleric & Politician Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khan to face the trial for serious criminal charges including 'attempt to murder' in connection with the communal violence which took place in Bareilly in the year 2010. He added that in India, rarely has the mastermind, who instigated a riot, been punished.

Judge Diwakar further underscored that accused Maulana Tauqeer would have incited yet another riot in Bareilly if there was no Yogi Adityanath Government in the state.

In his 10-page order, Judge Diwakar, who, in 2022, directed a Videographic survey of the Gyanvapi mosque premises, defended his order in the Gyanvapi Case as he said that the orders passed by him were as per the law. He further mentioned that both he and his family members are consistently concerned about his safety.

"An atmosphere of fear prevails in my family and me in such a way that it is not possible to express it in words. Everyone in the family is worried about each other's safety. One has to think many times before leaving the house. Especially, my mother remains worried about my safety"

He added that his children also ask him whether he would be killed as is shown on the news channels and that when he tries to tell them all the news is fake, they respond by saying that their friends also tell them that their father would be killed and hence, he (Judge Diwakar) cannot fool them (children).

"The fear is so much that some time back an attempt was made by Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khaw to incite riots in Bareilly city and derogatory things were also said by Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khan against the Prime Minister of India, Honorable Shri Narendra Modi, which my wife also heard and she said that when this person can say derogatory things about the Prime Minister of the country, then he can do anything"

He also said that ever since he gave the verdict in the Gyanvapi case, the attitude of people of a particular religion and officials towards him had become strange as if he had "committed some sin" by giving the verdict in the Gyanvapi case. 

In yet another observation, he said that the main reason for riots in India is that the political parties of the Country are engaged in the "appeasement of a particular religion", due to which the morale of prominent people of that particular religion increases to the extent that they start thinking that even if they incite riots, nothing would be done to them.

"In this regard, it is also noteworthy that in the Indian judicial system, it takes years for people to get justice, and this fact also boosts the morale of the rioters that if they commit riots, it would almost be impossible to get punishment from the judiciary.

In light of this context, Judge Diwakar highlighted that the present case served as a prime illustration of this occurrence, as it had been pending since 2010 with no decision reached as of yet.

"In the case in question, the name of the main mastermind Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khaw, who deliberately instigated the riot, was not included in the charge sheet despite there being sufficient evidence in the investigation against him, which shows that the then police officers, administrative officers and government level officials were failing in their duties. The rules were not followed and the mastermind who instigated the riots, Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khaw, was deliberately supported. The then Senior Superintendent of Police, Bareilly, Deputy Inspector General of Police, Bareilly Zone, Bareilly, Inspector General of Police, Bareilly Zone, Bareilly and the then District Magistrate, Bareilly and the then Divisional Commissioner, Bareilly and higher officials at the government level did not act legally and worked at the behest of the then government and they went beyond their authority to support Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khan, the main mastermind of Bareilly Riots 2010."

Against this backdrop, the Court prima facie concluded that Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khan gave a speech to the gathering of the Muslim community that he would shed rivers of blood of Hindus, destroy their houses and shops, and set them on fire, get them looted, and after this, riots broke out in Bareilly on 02.03.2010 and looting took place in the same sequence, and the police post was set on fire and the houses of Hindus were set ablaze and women were treated indecently. 

Consequently, the Court found sufficient evidence against accused Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khan to be charged under sections 147, 148, 149, 307, 436, 332, 336, 427, 152, 153A, 295, 397, 398 read with Section 120B of the Indian Penal Code, Section 7 CL Act and Section 3 Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act and summoned him to face trial in the case.

The Judge further directed that a copy of his order be placed before the CM Yogi Adityanath.