SC asks Uttarakhand govt to ensure no untoward incident happens at Roorkee Dharam Sansad tomorrow

The Supreme Court asked the Uttarakhand government to ensure that no untoward incident takes place at the Dharam Sansad event scheduled to take place in Roorkee on Wednesday.

A bench comprising Justices AM Khanwikar, Abhay S Oka and CT Ravikumar warned, “If these issues take place, the chief secretary will be asked to appear.”

Responding to this, the counsel said, “Please have trust and faith in us.” The bench replied, “Trust is for everyone, but things are different on the ground.”

The court was hearing an application over upcoming Dharam Sansad events.

Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the petitioner in the matter relating to the Dharam Sansad at Himachal Pradesh, submitted that “Dharam Sansads” are being held at every other place from time to time.

Justice Khanwilkar said, “Your Original petition was for Delhi and Uttarakhand. And now this IA [Interlocutory Applications] is for HP [Himachal Pradesh]?”

Kapil Sibal said, “We had originally filed this IA to stop the Dharma Sansad. The court said you report the matter to the collector and the SP. The collector and the SP have done nothing and this is what has happened.”

“You have to follow the guidelines already in place. You have to answer if you are following them or not. If not, then you have to take corrective measures. File an affidavit, disclosing what steps you have taken to prevent it and thereafter,” Justice Khanwilkar told the counsel appearing for the state.

The court directed the Uttarakhand government to take preventive steps keeping in view the controversies that erupted over speeches delivered by some religious leaders at Dharm Sansad events organised in Delhi and Haridwar earlier.