The Supreme Court on Monday refused to entertain a petition seeking contempt proceedings against BJP MP Nishikant Dubey over his controversial remarks targeting the Chief Justice of India.
A bench comprising CJI Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar was hearing a writ petition filed by Advocate Vishal Tiwari, requesting the initiation of criminal contempt against Dubey.
However, the bench stated it would issue an order to express its views on the matter.
“We will pass a short order. But we will not entertain it. We will be expressing our views,” they said.
Tiwari argued that the statements were not only scandalising but also hateful and provocative, emphasising the need for action against Dubey.
BJP MP Nishikant Dubey’s told ANI that Chief Justice of India, Justice Sanjiv Khanna, is responsible for “grih yuddhas” (civil wars) in the country, further alleging that “the Supreme Court is going beyond its limits” and suggesting that “if one has to go to the Supreme Court for everything, then Parliament and State Assemblies should shut down.”
Earlier, when Advocate Narendra Mishra approached the bench led by Justice B.R. Gavai seeking permission to file a criminal defamation case against MP Nishikant Dubey and urging suo motu action over his controversial remarks, the bench agreed to consider another plea seeking directions to remove social media posts/videos doing the rounds on the internet since Dubey’s remarks.
In its resolution dated April 21, the Supreme Court Bar Association stated that Nishikant Dubey’s remarks were not only “defamatory” but also amounted to “contempt of the Supreme Court.”
BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, who is also a member of the Joint Committee of Parliament (JCP) on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, has sparked widespread controversy with his remarks, not only for targeting the Supreme Court and Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna, but also for his communal attack on former Chief Election Commissioner S.Y. Quraishi, whom he referred to as a “Muslim commissioner.”
