Do not selectively highlight mob lynching cases: SC to petitioner

THE SUPREME Court Tuesday asked a petitioner who alleged inaction by states on dealing with instances of mob lynching not to be selective in highlighting such instances before it.

A bench of Justices BR Gavai, Aravind Kumar and Sandeep Mehta posted for hearing after six weeks a plea filed by the National Federation of Indian Women, affiliated to the CPI, seeking directions to states to take immediate action in consonance with a 2018 verdict of the apex court to effectively deal with incidents of lynching and mob violence against Muslims by cow vigilantes.

The court was told that though all states were made parties in the case, only Madhya Pradesh and Ha ryan a had filed their responses.

Justice Kumar told Advocate Nizam Pasha who appeared for the petitioner, “You have to take all the incidents in the petition, we want to be sure that you're not selective if all states are there”.

Pasha said that states were not following the SC judgement in the Tehseen Poonawala case which had comprehensive guidelines to the union and state governments to prevent lynching and mob violence. The states were denying that these were incidents of mob lynching, he said.

Referring to an instance from the Madhya Pradesh affidavit, Pasha said an incident of alleged lynching for beef transportation was sought to be given the colour of a scuffle. He submitted that no FIR was filed against the accused. State counsel said an fir had been filed under the Prevention of Cow Slaughter act. justice me ht a asked how an FIR can be filed under the specific Act before obtaining a chemical analysis report is ready. The state counsel said the case is registered on the spot and material then sent for examination.

Justice Kumar then asked the Pasha whether the petition mentioned the killing ofUdaip ur based tailor kan haiy al al who had his throat slit for allegedly sharing a post of former BJP leader Nupur Sharma whose comments on Prophet mohammad had raised a storm. pasha said he will include it in the petition, as Justice Kumar advised him about not being selective in highlighting cases. The bench advised the counsel that it should not be about religion or caste but the overall issue.

The court asked various state governments to apprise it in six weeks on the action taken in incidents of mob lynching and cow vigilantism.