New Delhi:Senior Advocate and Public Interest lawyer (PIL) Prashant Bhushan on Monday deposited one rupee fine that was imposed by the Supreme court for contempt of court.
However, Bhushan added that he will be filing a review plea against the verdict and that his submitting the fine shouldn't be taken as his acceptance of the verdict.
Talking to reporters, Bhushan also criticised the detention of Umar Khalid and charging of Sitaram Yechury, Yogendra Yadav and other prominent academicians who spoke against the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) 2019.
Tweeting about the same he said, "Umar Khalid's arrest by Delhi Police after naming Yechury, Yogendra Yadav, Jayati Ghosh and Apoorvanand leaves no doubt at all about the mala fide nature of its investigation into Delhi riots. It’s a conspiracy by the police to frame peaceful activists in the guise of Investigation.”
Further, he alleged that the current central government is using everything in their power to shut down their criticism, putting the freedom of expression in danger.
Also read:Bhushan moves SC; seeks right to appeal in contempt conviction
Former Judge of Supreme Court (SC) Justice Madan Lokur, Veteran journalist N Ram, activists Yogendra Yadav and Aruna Roy also addressed the zoom press conference along with Bhushan.
Appreciating Bhushan for 'ably' defending himself, Justice Lokur said Bhushan said what was needed to be said. "Even though the citizens are speaking within their constitutional limits, the state [today] opines that they are transgressing," Justice Lokur stated on the issue of free speech.
He added that sedition is being used as an iron hand to curb free speech which according to him is an overreaction. In an example, he highlighted how in Punjab a reporter who criticised the COVID situation in the state and believed that Chief Minister should be changed, was arrested with his news being labelled as 'fake news'.
Hinting at the irony of the situation, Justice Lokur said, "There are youngsters, students who are talking about doing good to the country and are arrested under sedition charges for unlawful activities. But on the other hand, there are people who talk about violence and breaking things yet no action is taken against them."
Talking about the high number of vacancies in courts, Justice Lokur said that if the judiciary doesn't take any action, the Justice system will crash. He said there are 20-25 per cent vacancies in the district courts, 40 per cent vacancies in the High courts respectively.
Also read:'Bhushan should go for review in larger interest'
Bhushan who was earlier this month held guilty of contempt of court by the Supreme Court for two of his tweets was accompanied by some villagers on his way to submit fine.
One of them said, that because he [Bhushan ] had helped them a lot, now they have come to help him.
