Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi, Nov 25: The Delhi high court on Thursday dismissed a petition seeking direction to ban the sale, purchase, publication and all forms of circulation of the book ‘Sunrise Over Ayodhya’ written by Congress leader Salman Khurshid.
Justice Yashwant Varma dismissed the petition filed by Vineet Jindal through Advocate Raj Kishor Chaudhary.
The court remarked that ‘if you disagree with the author, do not read it.’ The court also remarked that ‘ask people not to buy the book or read it.’
The court told the petitioner, “Why don’t you ask people not to buy or read it? Tell everybody the book is badly authored and don’t read it. If sentiments may be hurt, they can read something better.”
The petitioner has approached the Delhi High court under Article 226 of the constitution of India praying inter-alia for an appropriate writ, order or direction in nature of mandamus directing the respondents to stop the circulation, sale, purchase and publication of the book.
The petitioner told the Delhi High Court, “Freedom of speech and expression is not unfettered. No person has the right to infringe on the feelings of others,” adding that “it violates Article 19, reasonable restrictions”.
Notably, Former Union Minister Salman Khurshid is embroiled in a controversy for ‘defaming and comparing Hinduism with terrorism’ in his recent book ‘Sunrise Over Ayodhya: Nationhood in our Times.’
