HC dismisses plea against seer Rambhadracharya for remarks on SCs

Prayagraj: The Allahabad high court has dismissed a petition seeking action against Jagadguru Rambhadracharya for his alleged remarks against scheduled castes during a religious discourse last year.
Dismissing a criminal appeal filed by Prakash Chandra, a bench of Justice Saurabh Srivastava in its Oct 4 order upheld the decision of the special judge, SC/ST Act court, Prayagraj, and said there was no case against the seer under the SC/ST Act, IT Act or the IPC.Jagadguru Rambhadracharya is a Padma Vibhushan awardee and was also a witness in the Ramjanmabhoomi case.
Special Judge, SC/ST Act, Prayagraj, had dismissed Chandra's application on Feb 15 this year on the ground of maintainability. Chandra then filed a criminal appeal before the high court challenging the order.
Seer Rambhadracharya's counsel, senior advocate Mahesh Chandra Chaturvedi, submitted that the reasoning and finding recorded by the court of special judge, SC/ST Act, Prayagraj was "reasonable and justified". He further argued that the petition filed under Section 156(3) of the CrPC is not under the capacity of individuals but for the community at large.
Chaturvedi also submitted that the wordings which has been sought to be taken as offence under the same Act is not the personal instigation of any abusive words which may attract the SC/ST Act, 1989 and section 67 of IT Act as submitted through the appeal.
Additional govt advocate, appearing on behalf of UP govt, also submitted that seer Rambhadracharya's remarks during the said religious discourse can be interpreted in many ways and the same is not attracting any of the sections mentioned in the appeal.