Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju on Monday took a jibe at petitioners, including Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Mahua Moitra, who moved the Supreme Court challenging the Centre’s decision to block a BBC documentary on the 2002 Gujarat riots, saying this is how the “precious time” of the apex court is “wasted”.
Reacting to a media report that veteran journalist N Ram, activist lawyer Prashant Bhushan and Moitra have moved the Supreme Court challenging the Centre’s decision to block the documentary “India: The Modi Question” on social media, the law minister tweeted saying, “This is how they waste the precious time of Hon’ble Supreme Court where thousands of common citizens are waiting and seeking dates for justice.”
A bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud on Monday took note of the submissions of lawyer M L Sharma and senior advocate C U Singh, appearing for N Ram and Bhushan and others, seeking urgent listing of their separate PILs on the issue, reported Live Law.
The court will hear the case on February 6. Sharma’s petition termed the ban on the documentary “malafide, arbitrary and unconstitutional”.
The first episode of the BBC documentary, focusing on then Chief Minister Narendra Modi and his government’s response to the 2002 riots, was released on January 17.
On January 21, the Centre issued directions for blocking multiple YouTube videos and Twitter posts sharing links to the controversial BBC documentary, with officials saying that it had been found to be “undermining the sovereignty and integrity of India” and has “the potential to adversely impact” the country’s “friendly relations with foreign states” and “public order within the country”, reported The Indian Express.
The Centre’s move was met with huge criticism, with Opposition leaders calling it “censorship”.