Hyderabad: Legal luminaries, Muslim religious scholars and political leaders have demanded that the Union of India should take action against Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, founder of Art of Living (AoL), for inciting the people with regard to the Babri Masjid and Ram Temple issue.
Justice P. Lakshman Reddy, former judge of the High Court, said that proceedings under the Contempt of Courts Act have to be initiated against Ravi Shankar as he has attempted to influence the Supreme Court through his statement.
He said the Ram Temple and Babri Masjid case is purely a civil suit and the verdict will be based on the record and proof, and will not consider any extraneous circumstances.
N. Ramachander Rao, BJP MLC and member of the Bar Council of India, said it must be seen in what context Ravi Shankar made such a statement. If it is a word of caution it would not fall under the definition of incitement or spreading hatred among communities and if it is for certainly inciting the people it is objectionable.
Pappu Nageswara Rao, a criminal lawyer in the High Court said that the Centre has to looked into whether the statement of Ravi Shankar attracts Section 153 (A) of the IPC or not.
He said that the purpose of Section 153 A is to punish persons who indulge in wanton vilification or attacks upon the religion, race, and place of birth, residence, language etc of any particular group or class or upon the founders and prophets of a religion.
AIMIM president and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi demanded that a case be booked of incitement and provocation against Ravi Shankar and said he has to be jailed. Ravi Shankar's statement is a great threat to the nation and its democracy, he said.
Mufti Mahmood Zubair Qasmi of Jamiat-e-Ulema said that except for a negligible percentage, the majority of people are peace loving and will not be provoked by such meaningless statements.
