Religious Conversion Pleas: Ashwini Upadhyay Withdraws Objectionable Affidavit

"There was some objections to some portions. We are withdrawing that additional affidavit," Upadhyay told the bench.

Image used for representational purposes.

(Photo: The Quint)

BJP leader Ashwini Upadhyay has withdrawn an additional affidavit, which contained objectionable remarks against minority communities, that he had filed before the Supreme Court.  

What did he say? On Friday, 3 February, Senior Advocate Arvind Datar reportedly told an apex court bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud.

"There was some objections to some portions. We are withdrawing that additional affidavit.”

Meanwhile…Senior Advocate Dushyant Dave informed the top court that Upadhyay’s main petition contained “vexatious and baseless” allegations as well.

He also pointed out that Upadhyay had filed similar petitions in the past as well.

But what was the hearing about? The apex court was hearing a batch of petitions challenging the stringent anti-conversion laws in various states of the country, as well as some against religious conversions.

So, what else happened in court? During Friday’s hearing, the apex court, according to Bar and Bench, gave three weeks’ time to the respondent-states to file their counter affidavits (they had previously directed the parties challenging the anti-conversion laws to file a single common transfer petition seeking the transfer of their pleas before High Courts to the apex court).

The bench also indicated that they were not inclined to ask the Law Commission to prepare a report on 'deceitful religious conversions' and a law to allegedly tackle the same.

Previously? Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, told Senior Advocate Gaurav Bhatia, counsel for BJP leader Ashwini Upadhyay that he “cannot keep on withdrawing and filing new petitions.”

(With inputs from Bar and Bench)