"Chance Taking Petitioner": Delhi High Court Dismisses PIL Against Salman Khurshid's Book 'Sunrise Over Ayodhya'

The Delhi High Court today dismissed another petition filed against further publication/ circulation of the book "Sunrise Over Ayodhya" written by Congress Leader and Former Union Minister Salman Khurshid.

"These are all chance taking Petitioners," the Bench comprising of Chief Justice DN Patel and Justice Jyoti Singh remarked at the outset, noting that Petitioner had failed to implead Khurshid as a Respondent party.

It allowed the petitioner to withdraw the petition and file a fresh one with proper averments and parties.

"If you are so shy about making a Senior Advocate a party to your case who is also the author of the book, don't file a PIL. Most PILs are like this, either blackmailing type or publicity interest. Don't the author have to be heard?"

Earlier, a single Judge bench had dismissed a similar plea, seeking to restrain the book for comparing Hindutva to groups like ISIS and BOKO HARAM.

"Tell everyone the book is badly authored. Ask them to read something better. What can we do if people are so sensitive. Nobody has asked them to read it," Justice Yashwant Varma had said while dismissing the petition filed by Advocate Vineet Jindal.

Today, one Rakesh moved the High Court through Advocate AK Dubey under public interest jurisdiction, alleging that the book has hurt religious sentiments of the Hindu community and is not covered under the right to freedom of speech and expression guaranteed under Article 19 of the Constitution.

"Sanatan dharma and classical Hinduism known to sages and saints was being pushed aside by a robust version of Hindutva, by all standards a political version similar to jihadist Islam of groups like ISIS and Boko Haram of recent years," the impugned excerpt from the Book reads.

However, upon noticing the petitioner's failure/ reluctance to implead Khurshid, the Bench warned of imposing heavy cost. It added,

"These are chance-taking petitioners. If Court allows the matter, well and good. If it doesn't, then also they'll get some publicity."

Case Title: Rakesh v. Union of India