SC UPHOLDS BAN ON BOOK AGAINST ISLAM

SC UPHOLDS BAN ON BOOK AGAINST ISLAM

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August 11, 2022

The Supreme Court, on April 16, said it was more concerned with peace in society than a person’s fundamental right to freedom of speech, and upheld a Maharashtra government ban on a book titled A Concept of Political World Invasion by Muslims. Petitioner and author of the book R.V. Bhasin had challenged the state government’s 2007 decision four years after the publication of the book to ban it on the ground that it perpetrated hatred against Muslims, promoted enmity between communities and on the apprehension that it would breach harmony in society. The Bombay High Court had said that the state government committed no wrong by banning the book. “The way this sensitive topic is handled by the author, it is likely to arouse the emotions and sensibilities of even strong minded people. We have held that criticism of Islam is permissible like criticism of any other religion and the book cannot be banned on that ground…but the author has gone on to pass insulting comments on Islam.”