Mumbai court stays summons issued to Mamata Banerjee in case of disrespecting national anthem
Mumbai, Feb 25: A sessions court here on Friday stayed the summons issued to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee till March 25 in a case pertaining to her disrespecting the national anthem.
Vivekanand Gupta, a functionary of the BJP's Mumbai unit, had approached the magistrate court with a complaint alleging that Banerjee did not stand when the national anthem was played at an event during her visit to Mumbai in December 2021.
Gupta has accused Banerjee of disrespecting the national anthem and demanded that an FIR be registered against her under provisions of the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act.
Taking cognisance of the complaint, the magistrate court had issued summons to Banerjee earlier this month and had directed her to appear before the court on March 2.
The West Bengal chief minister, however, moved a review petition before the sessions court, praying for stay on the magistrate court's proceedings.
Senior counsel Majeed Memon, appearing for Banerjee, argued that no ingredients under relevant section of the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971 were made out in the application (before the magistrate court) of the complainant.
Gupta was not present at the said function, he said, submitting that without examination of the complainant, the magistrate accepted an affidavit in deviation of the mandatory provisions prescribed under provision of the CrPC.
Judge R N Rokade after hearing the submissions, held that it was necessary to give an opportunity to the prosecution and complainant to contest the matter.
The judge then issued a notice to Gupta and kept the matter for appearance on March 25.
The court noted that prima facie, it appears that there is a deviation of the mandatory provisions as contemplated under section 200 of the CRPC, which pertains to examination of the complainant.
As per the provision, a magistrate taking cognisance of an offence on a complaint shall examine upon oath the complainant and the witnesses present, if any.
Further, the judge said as an "exigency is shown", it would be proper to stay proceeding before the metropolitan magistrate.
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Congress using hijab issue to pacify minority anger, alleges Karnataka LoP R Ashoka
Bengaluru: Leader of Opposition in the Assembly R. Ashoka has accused the Congress government of using the hijab issue to placate what he described as discontent among minority voters after the Davanagere by-election.
In a post on X on Wednesday, Ashoka alleged that the state government, instead of addressing issues such as price rise, corruption, farmers’ distress and law and order, was attempting to retain its minority vote base by reviving the hijab issue.
Referring to the 2022 dress code introduced by the BJP government, which prohibited hijab in schools and colleges, Ashoka said the Karnataka High Court had upheld the policy and emphasised the importance of discipline in educational institutions.
He questioned the Congress government’s move to revisit the issue and asked whether setting aside the court-backed policy to benefit one community could be described as secularism.
Ashoka further alleged that while the government was willing to permit hijab, it continued to prohibit saffron shawls.
He accused the government of dividing students on religious lines rather than treating schools and colleges as spaces of equality.
Drawing a comparison with Mamata Banerjee’s government in West Bengal, Ashoka claimed that excessive appeasement politics had harmed the state and warned that the Congress in Karnataka could face a similar political response.
He said voters in Karnataka would teach the Congress a lesson for what he termed “vote-bank politics” and for compromising constitutional and judicial principles.
