On May 19, an FIR was registered at Civil Lines station of Raipur against former Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh, BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra and others for allegedly spreading fake news and “promoting enmity between classes”. The reason was that such leaders exposed the Congress party’s alleged grand plot to defame India and the Modi government internationally, using a ‘toolkit’ prepared by the Congress’ research wing. The complaint filed by National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) Chhattisgarh chief, Akash Sharma, had registered a case under sections 504, 505 (1) b, c, 469 and 188 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
In a big blow to the motivated and specific hounding of BJP leaders by the Congress government, the Chhattisgarh High Court on Monday stayed the investigation of the FIR lodged against Raman Singh and Sambit Patra, and also sought a reply from the state government within three weeks. The court called out the Congress government’s political targeting of rivals using the police machinery in the state. The interim relief to the BJP leaders will go on until the next hearing in the case, which will be after three weeks.
“If we see the face value of the FIR no offence under Sections 504, 505(1)(b) and 505(1)(c) of IPC is made out as the averments of the FIR reflect that by the Tweet of the petitioner, Congressmen are aggravated which clearly indicates that no public peace or tranquillity is being adversely affected and it is purely political rivalry between two political parties,” the High Court said in one of its orders.
In a scathing attack on the Congress government, the High Court remarked, “This, prima facie, establishes that present FIR has been registered with political motives.” The High Court went on to state, “Considering the facts of the case and from perusal of FIR, prima facie, no case is made out against the petitioner and criminal proceedings is manifestly attended against the petitioner with malafides or with political grudge. Considering overall the facts and circumstances of the case, I am of the view that the petitioner has made out strong case for grant of stay, as continuation of investigation on basis of FIR will be nothing but an abuse of process of law.”
Read more: Congress’ leaked toolkit claims its first casualty— Chhattisgarh’s unpopular CM Bhupesh Bhaghel
It goes without saying that the move to lodge FIRs against BJP leaders had the tacit approval of the Chhattisgarh chief minister, or rather, was his handiwork entirely. However, what Bhupesh Baghel fails to realise is that he is standing in defence of a party, which evidently has not shied away from sacrificing India’s reputation and image at the altar of political pettiness. The people of India will never forgive Bhupesh Baghel for trying to silence those who sought to bring the Congress’ demonic behaviour out in the open. The Chhattisgarh High Court has rather beautifully tamed the Congress government of Chhattisgarh.