BENGALURU: The High Court on Wednesday disposed of a petition filed by Praveen Togadia, international president of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), after his counsel said that Togadia will not hold any public meeting or make a hate speech on his proposed visit to Sringeri.
Referring to the word ‘liberty’ which was used as a ground in Togadia’s petition, Justice Ashok B Hinchigeri quoted Oliver Wendell Holmes: “Liberty does not mean you can injure or hurt a person. American jurist and great exponent of liberty, Oliver Wendell Holmes, has said that you can’t yell ‘fire’ in a crowded theatre”.
Justice Hinchigeri, in a lighter vein, observed that Togadia can only talk to God, not the press, when Togadia’s counsel sought liberty to let his client speak to the media during his visit.
Saying that Togadia is barred from holding public meetings and making press statements, the judge added that his followers should not play Togadia’s audio or video speeches.
The judge, however, added that it is up to Togadia to get Z-plus security by submitting an application before the authorities concerned as per his revised itinerary.
According to his revised plans, Togadia will go to Sringeri from Bengaluru by road. He will not visit Mangaluru. Togadia’s entry into the commissionarate of Mangaluru was banned by the police on January 18.
Earlier, Advocate General Madhusudan R Naik informed the court that 19 criminal cases are pending against Togadia because he violated the promises he had made on many occasions.
Togadia’s counsel contended that the visit undertaken by his client is personal and a religious one.
Plea Against ‘Marathi Tigers’
The High Court on Wednesday dismissed public interest litigation (PIL) seeking a ban on exhibition and distribution of the film ‘Marathi Tigers’.
A division bench of acting Chief Justice Subhro Kamal Mukherjee and Justice Ravi Malimath dismissed the petition filed by Bheemashankar Patil, president of Karnataka Navanirmana Sene, Kalaburagi.
“We cannot stop exhibition of the movie and the government has to take a call if there is a law and order problem due to the movie”, the bench said.
The petitioner’s counsel had argued that the film was projected as witness to the difficulties faced by Marathi-speaking people in the Karnataka-Maharashtra border district of Belagavi.
This will only increase the hatred between Kannadigas and Marathis in the district. There are several provocative speeches in the film and therefore, the film should be banned, Patil said.
The bench observed that the perception of the director and the petitioner is different and therefore the court cannot ban the film. If a law and order problem arises, it is for the government to take a call on the issue, the bench said.
Take Action Against Animal Sacrifice, State government told
The High Court on Wednesday directed the state government and district administration of Chamarajanagar to take action to prevent animal sacrifice during Siddappaji Jatre at Chikkalur in Kollegal taluk. Hearing a petition filed by president of Vishwa Prani Kalyana Mandali Dayananda Swamiji, the division bench of acting Chief Justice Subhro Kamal Mukherjee and Justice Ravi Malimath asked the government to take action. The contention of Swamiji is that there will be rampant animal sacrifice during the annual jatra from January 24 to 29. The court had issued directions to prevent animal sacrifice last year, Swamiji said.