In an attempt to resuscitate her earlier petition which was withdrawn following the flurry of punitive comments from the judges, ex-BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma has approached the Supreme Court for the second time. She intends to seek a halt on her arrest, and the transfer of the nine FIRs filed against her across India for her alleged profane remarks on Prophet Mohammed, to Delhi.
On July 1, during the first SC hearing on the matter, the bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and JB Pardiwala came down heavily on her, landing Sharma in the storm’s eye. Her fresh application seeks permission “to withdraw her request to withdraw the petition as recorded in the order dated July 1″, further appealing to the court to review the matter on merits.
Following the court’s remarks during the previous hearing, Sharma claimed that the Kolkata Police issued a ‘lookout circular’ against her, raising her qualms regarding an immediate arrest.
The bench had observed that Sharma’s “loose tongue had set the country on fire”, further stating that she was “single-handedly responsible for what was happening”.
Sharma’s petition read, “There are a large number of serious life threats to her emanating from West Bengal after a statement on this issue was made by the chief minister. It would be completely unsafe for the petitioner to go to West Bengal and have recourse to courts in the state.”
Nupur Sharma also cited life threats emanating from a khadim of Ajmer dargah through a video announcement that implored every Muslim to slit her throat. The video message also announced that the khadim would give his house to whosoever brought Sharma’s severed head to him.
The observations by the SC bench accused Sharma of inciting a rift in the country, damaging its social fabric, which supposedly led to the unfortunate killing of Udaipur tailor Kanhaiya Lal.
Eventually, the challenge that lies ahead is to possibly determine whether the remarks made by the apex court earlier were absolutely necessary, and if Nupur Sharma can be granted protection from the threat of arrest looming large on her.
