“This lady is single-handedly responsible for what is happening in the country,” the Supreme Court judges said on suspended BJP leader Nupur Sharma.
AGENCIES / New Delhi
The Supreme Court today came down heavily on suspended BJP leader Nupur Sharma for igniting tension with her comments on Prophet Muhammad and said she should “apologise to the whole country”.
“The way she has ignited emotions across the country. This lady is single-handedly responsible for what is happening in the country,” said the judges.
Nupur Sharma’s offensive comments, made during a TV debate earlier this month, sparked massive protests in India and several Gulf countries summoned Indian diplomats to issue severe reprimands.
“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 apologise to the whole country,” said Justice Surya Kant.
Nupur Sharma had requested the court to transfer to Delhi the multiple FIRs filed against her across the country, citing threats. She, however, has withdrawn the petition.
Her lawyer said she had not used her name on the petition because of the threats. “She faces threats or she has become a security threat,” the judges snapped.
The court snubbed Nupur Sharma’s argument on “equal treatment” and “no discrimination”.
“But when you file FIRs against others, they are immediately arrested but when it’s against you nobody has dared to touch you,” the judges said.
BJP should hang its head in shame: Congress
As the Supreme Court on Friday came down heavily on suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma over her controversial comments on Prophet Mohammed, the Congress hit out at the BJP saying the apex court has held a mirror to its government and that the remarks of the court should make the party hang its head in shame.
Calling the Supreme Court’s observations “crucial and far-reaching”, AICC general secretary in charge of communications Jairam Ramesh said, “These remarks by the Supreme Court, which resonate with the entire country, should make the party in power hang its head in shame.”
“The Supreme Court has held a mirror to this government and called out the base ugliness of its actions. It is no secret that the BJP seeks to profit from inflaming communal passions. Today, the Supreme Court has strengthened the resolve in every single one of us who are fighting these destructively divisive ideologies,” he said in a statement.