“Obstinate & arrogant character,” SC slams Nupur Sharma

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday came down heavily on former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma whose highly toxic comments on Prophet Muhammad had sparked massive protests across the country and invited criticism from all over the world, especially Islamic nations.

The Apex court bench headed by Justices Surya Kant and J.B Pardiwala did not spare even the other actors in the sordid incident, including the television channel (Times Now) which had organized a debate on the Kashi Vishwanath and Gyanvapi mosque controversy and the Delhi Police that failed to take action against Ms. Sharma.

The top court’s comments came while hearing a petition on behalf of Nupur Sharma to club multiple FIRs filed against her across the country and transfer them to a single court in Delhi for security reasons.

“She faces threats or she has become the security threat? This lady is single-handedly responsible for what is happening in the country…Her outburst is responsible for the unfortunate incident at Udaipur,” remarked the two-judge bench adding, “We saw the debate on how she was incited. But the way she said all this and later says she was a lawyer it is shameful. She should apologize to the whole country.”

“This lady is single-handedly responsible for what is happening in the country,” the court observed pointing at the horrific Udaipur incident.

In equally scathing comments against the Delhi Police and the TV channel that hosted the debate, the bench asked, “What has Delhi police done? Don’t make us open our mouths, what was the TV debate about? Only to fan an agenda? Why did they choose a sub-judice topic?”

In what comes as strong comments, specifically against the selective behaviour of the Delhi Police ostensibly arresting Alt News co-founder Mohammad Zubair for an inane tweet and treating Ms. Sharma’s dangerous remarks having security implications with kid’s gloves, the court remarked, “When you file FIRs against others, they are immediately arrested but when it’s against you nobody has dared to touch you.”

Slamming Ms. Sharma further, the court said her remarks “show her obstinate and arrogant character”. “What if she is the spokesperson of a party. She thinks she has back up of power and can make any statement without respect to the law of the land,” Justice Kant said.

Even Ms. Sharma’s argument citing an order about protecting journalistic freedom did cut much ice as the court remarked, ” She cannot be put on the pedestal of a journalist. When she goes and lambasts on a TV debate and makes irresponsible statements without thinking of the ramifications and consequences that it will have on the fabric of society.” – INDIA NEWS STREAM