CUTTACK: The Orissa High Court on Thursday allowed public speaker and activist Puspendra Kulasrestha to participate in a seminar at Sambalpur, but on the condition that his speech would not be aired by any media house in the country.
The Single Judge Bench of Justice SK Panigrahi further specified that Puspendra shall not spread hatred against any other religion and his speech should not create any kind of communal disharmony or threaten the national integration or security of the country.” Justice Panigrahi set the conditions on a petition filed by Sambalpur-based Radha Sriniwas Sewa Trust.
The petition challenged the order of the district administration of Sambalpur that had not granted permission to the Trust to conduct a public meeting on National Integration and Security in the town on November 5.
Advocate Anirudha Sangnaria argued on the petitioner’s behalf. Countering the petition, state counsel GR Mohapatra contended since the district administration of Sambalpur has witnessed communal disharmony in the recent past, any kind of seminar or meeting, which is likely to disturb peace in the area cannot be allowed.
“On verification of the YouTube channel of the eminent guest (Puspendra Kulasrestha) who is being invited to the seminar, it is found that his speeches are mostly aggressive in nature and always create hatred against a particular religion and the said speech might trigger, create, and revive tension in Sambalpur town, the state counsel further contended. While disposing of the petition, Justice Panigrahi said,
“Be that as it may, this court is of the view that the right to freedom of speech and expression cannot be curtailed merely on apprehension unless such specific instances are cited before the court to ban a person’s speech. In such view of the matter, the SP, Sambalpur is directed to allow the petitioner to organize such seminar with the conditions set by the court.”