SC grants protection to lawyer Prashant Bhushan against coercive action in a case

Supreme Court Friday granted protection to activist lawyer Prashant Bhushan from any coercive action in an FIR lodged against him at Rajkot in Gujarat for allegedly hurting religious sentiments of Hindus.

FIR was lodged by former Army personnel Jaidev Rajnikant Joshi at Rajkot alleging that Bhushan hurt religious sentiments of Hindus by tweeting against re-telecast of Ramayana and Mahabharata serials on DD during coronavirus lockdown in country.

While granting interim relief and protection to Bhushan, apex court said, "anybody can watch anything on TV" and questioned as to how one can ask people t to watch a particular programme.

A bench comprising Justices Ashok Bhushan and Sanjiv Khanna, in proceedings conducted through video conferencing, issued tice to Gujarat Police and listed Bhushan's plea after two weeks.

Senior vocate Dushyant Dave, appearing for Bhushan, sought quashing of FIR lodged against activist lawyer and sought interim protection against any coercive measure for time being.

In his complaint, Joshi h accused Bhushan of using word 'opium' for Ramayana and Mahabharata in a tweet on March 28 which “hurt sentiments of many Hindu people”

“As crores starve & walk hundreds of miles home due to forced lockdown, our heartless ministers celebrate consuming & feeding opium of Ramayana & Mahabharata to people,” res Bhushan’s tweet.

Dave said he was t on issue of as to what people should watch on TV, but was arguing against registration of FIR. Bhushan h filed plea on Thursday and it was listed a day after bench, registry sources said.