NEW DELHI: Social media influencer Ajeet Bharti, accused of using casteist slurs against Member of Parliament Chandrashekhar Azad in his video, invoked caste hierarchy, caste-based notions of purity and the assumed superiority of "upper" over "lower" castes in matters of marriage and lineage, and, therefore, warranted prosecution, a Delhi Court has said.
Additional Sessions Judge Saurabh Pratap Singh Laler made the prima facie observation while denying anticipatory bail to Bharti in September 7 order in a case registered under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act (SC/ST Act).
The judge said that Bharti’s assertion that Azad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram) president, Azad, should make himself worthy of marrying an upper-caste girl was a specific reference to caste and is humiliating.
“The assertion that the said MP should make himself worthy of marrying an upper caste girl, is a specific reference to caste and humiliating as to why a person fit to be married to anyone in SC/ST community has to be something extra/something more/worthy of marrying a girl in upper caste,” the judge observed.
‘Prima facie’ the ingredients of the offence under Section 3(1)(r) of the SC/ST Act (humiliate, insult or use caste-based slurs against members of SC/ST in public view) are made out, the judge said.
The complaint was filed by Balakram Bauddh, Delhi State President of the Azad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram), over Bharti’s video.
The complaint alleged that Bharti used caste-based and abusive language, made objectionable remarks about Nagina MP Chandrashekhar Azad and BR Ambedkar, used sexually degrading language against women and issued threats.
According to the FIR, Bharti was responding to a viewer who suggested that he get his sister married to Azad, after which caste-based reservation would end.