UP court orders FIR against Salman Khurshid for comparing Hindutva to ISIS

A magistrate court in Lucknow has ordered the Uttar Pradesh Police to register a first information report (FIR) against Senior Advocate and Congress leader Salman Khurshid for allegedly comparing Hindutva to terror outfits like Boko Haram and ISIS in his book 'Sunrise Over Ayodhya: Nationhood In Our Times'.

Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Shantanu Tyagi ordered registration of FIR against Khurshid and also directed the Uttar Pradesh Police to send a copy of the FIR to the Court within three days.

The Court directed the authorities that relevant provisions should be charged and a proper investigation should be carried out in the matter.

The complaint against Khurshid was lodged by one Shubhangi Tyagi who alleged that certain portions of the book hurt the religious feelings of Hindus.

Earlier, an application was moved by Tyagi in the police station for registering an FIR against Khurshid, but the police did not act on her request, after which she moved the Court.

The book by Khurshid, which drew comparisons between Hindutva and ISIS, had drawn the ire of many.

Miscreants had also vandalised Khurshid's house at Nainital in protest against the book.

Earlier, a plea was moved before the Delhi High Court to ban Khurshid's book, but the same was rejected on November 25.

Justice Yashwant Verma heard the matter and remarked that if people do not like the book they have the option to not buy it.

"If you don't agree with the author, don't read it. Please tell people book is badly authored, read something better," he remarked.

The controversial paragraph of the book, which was reproduced in the petition, reads,

“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 likes ISIS and Boko Haram of recent years.”

On November 17, a Delhi court had refused to grant interim injunction against the circulation, publication, distribution and sale of the book.

"The defendants have the right to write / publish the book. The plaintiff has not been able to establish that inconvenience will be caused to him to avoid the book or alleged "offensive" excerpts of the book. On the other hand, injunction would lead to hardship for the publishers and also curtail the right of speech and expression of the author," Civil Judge Preeti Parewa had said.