New Delhi: Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, in their affidavit, appealed to the Delhi High Court to quash the petition that sought action against them for allegedly inciting communal violence leading to the 2020 Delhi riots.
Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, in their latest plea before the court, said there has been a 'larger conspiracy behind the demand to register an FIR against them in the Delhi riots. The Gandhis made the plea in response to the petitioner who approached the court seeking action against them for alleged hate speeches.
Sonia and Rahul told the court that the petitioner has not taken into account the hate speeches delivered by members of the ruling party at the Centre, which clearly indicated a 'conspiracy' being hatched against them. The Gandhis further asserted that it was the leaders of the ruling party who made inflammatory speeches, playing a major role in igniting violence in North-East Delhi in 2020.
Sonia Gandhi's affidavit said it was the job of the opposition leaders to raise voices against the policies of the government when the rights of common citizens are at the stake. The affidavit states that the petitioner has not presented his case in its entirety. It may be recalled the Delhi High Court, while hearing the petitions seeking a probe by the SIT into the hate speeches during the anti-CAA-NRC protest, issued 28 notices in February to the leaders of BJP and Congress.
Petitioner Sheikh Mujtaba and Lawyers Voice, an NGO, filed separate petitions holding the political leaders responsible for the Delhi riots. Sheikh Mujtaba had blamed four BJP leaders - Kapil Mishra, Anurag Thakur, Pravesh Verma, and Abhay Verma - for making alleged hate speeches. On the other hand, Lawyers Voice sought the registration of an FIR against 20 leaders, holding them responsible for the violence.
Besides Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, Lawyers Voice has named Priyanka Gandhi, Manish Sisodia, Amanatullah Khan, Waris Pathan, Akbaruddin Owaisi, Lawyer Mehmood Pracha, Harsh Mander, Mufti Mohammad Ismail, Actress Swara Bhaskar, Umar Khalid, Maulana Habib Ur Rehman, Mohammad Dilawar, Maulana Shreya Raza, Maulana Hammood Raza, Maulana Tauqeer, Faizul Hasan, Tauqir Raza Khan and BG Kosale Patil. During the hearing, the court issued notices to these leaders, saying it was necessary to hear their version before taking up the petitions.
The High Court had allowed the Central Government to be a party to the matter. A petition was filed in the Supreme Court against this, after which the SC on 4 March 2020 directed the High Court to hear the matter and take a decision soon.
