Opposing Govt Not Sedition: SC Rejects PIL Against Farooq Abdullah

The litigation alleged that Abdullah sought help from China, Pakistan against India after Abrogation of Article 370.

File image of former J&K chief minister Farooq Abdullah.

(Photo Courtesy : PTI)

A bench of the Supreme Court on Wednesday, 3 March, refused to entertain a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) against former J&K Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah for his opposition and comments on the abrogation of Article 370, which the litigator deemed seditious.

While rejecting the PIL, the bench headed by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul said that disagreeing with the views and policies of government does not attract the offence of sedition.

WHAT WAS THE LITIGATION?

According to Bar&Bench, the petitioners, Rajat Sharma and Dr Neh Srivastava, had taken exception to Abdullah's comments on abrogation of Article 370 which conferred special status on the erstwhile state of Jammu & Kashmir.

Sharma is the secretary and trustee of an organisation called the Vishwa Guru India Vision of Sardar Patel.

The litigation had alleged that Abdullah had sought help from China and Pakistan against India after the abrogation, The Times of India reported.

Abdullah and his party have been vocal critics of the Centre’s move and have been demanding restoration of the special status.

Chief of J&K National Conference, Abdullah, was put under house arrest for several months after the abrogation and division of the state.

WHAT DID THE COURT SAY?

The Supreme Court said that disagreeing with the policies of government does not attract the offence of sedition.

The court dismissed the PIL and in turn slapped a fine of Rs 50,000 on the petitioners for failing to substantiate the allegations made in the litigation.

(With inputs from Times of India and Bar&Bench)