Bailable warrant against Shashi Tharoor in 'Bichhoo' defamation case

In a major setback to Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, a Rouse Avenue Court on Monday,  issued a bailable warrant against Tharoor in the criminal defamation case over his "scorpion on Shiv Linga" remark. Sources report that the judge Navin Kashyap was angry with Shashi Tharoor's absence from the court and hence issued the bailable warrant. Sources further report if Tharoor does not appear at the hearing's next date he will have to furnish the amount of Rs 5000.

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Bail in defamation case 

Previously in June, Tharoor had been granted bail in the case by a court on a personal bond of Rs 20,000, as per reports. The case had been file reportedly against Tharoor after he remarked that PM Modi is like a scorpion sitting on Shiv Linga at the Bengaluru Literature Festival in October 2018. Tharoor had reportedly quoted a news article mentioning an "unnamed RSS source" making the comparison.

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'Scorpion on Shiv Linga' remark

"There's an extraordinarily striking metaphor expressed by an unnamed RSS source to a journalist. The RSS source said Modi is like a scorpion sitting on a Shiv Linga. You cannot remove him with your hand and you cannot hit it with a chappal (slipper) either," Shashi Tharoor had said, as per reports.

Shashi Tharoor had reportedly added, "If you think about it, it is a very profound understanding of the relationship. If you remove a scorpion with your hand, you will get stung very badly. But if you hit a Shiv Linga with a slipper, you undermine all the sacred tenets of the faith you all know on which the scorpion is sitting on."

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Defamation case on 'scorpion on Shiv Linga' remark

Reports state that BJP leader  Rajeev Babbar had filed a defamation case against Delhi's Patiala House Court alleging that Tharoorhad hurt religious sentiments. The petition said, "The complainant's religious sentiments were hurt and the accused (Shashi Tharoor) deliberately did this malicious act, intending to outrage religious feeling of Lord Shiva devotees by insulting their religious beliefs". The matter was heard by the court on July 25 to record complainant Rajeev Babbar's statement, as per reports.

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