New Delhi:Uttar Pradesh BJP spokesperson Prashant Umrao advised to tender apology by the Supreme court for his tweet about attack on Bihar migrants in Tamil Nadu. The Supreme Court expressed its displeasure on Prashant Umrao over sharing wrong information regarding alleged attacks on Bihar mirgant workers in Tamil Nadu. Senior advocate Luthra assured the court that he will tender an apology.
It may be recalled that on February 23, Prashant Umrao tweeted that 15 migrant workers were assaulted for speaking Hindi and 12 out of them succumbed. The videos that claimed an attack on migrants were said to be fake by fact checkers and the state police. The Supreme Court issued notice on a petition filed by Uttar Pradesh Bhartiya Janata Party's spokesperson Prashant Umrao seeking to club FIRs registered against him for a tweet alleging an attack on Bihari workers in Tamil Nadu and seeking to modify the bail condition that requires him to appear before police for 15 days.
Also read:'Attack' on migrants: BJP seeks statement in assembly over Bihar team's visit to TN
The bench comprising Justice BR Gavai and Justice Pankaj Mithal also observed that Umrao is an advocate and should be more responsible about such things. The court has now asked him to appear on Monday at 10 am before the police and thereafter he has to be present whenever the investigating officer requires him.
The court also directed that the bail would be applicable to all the other FIRs registered in Tamil Nadu against him for the same cause of action. However, the state of Tamil Nadu told the court that Prashant Umrao wasn't named in other FIRs. During the hearing today, senior advocate Siddharth Luthra submitted before the court that Umrao had deleted the tweet within 12 hours when he realised the error. Luthra said that he had just tweeted the news that other media agencies were tweeting and as soon as he realised that it was inaccurate he deleted the post.
"Why should we be so sensitive these days?," questioned J Gavai. Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi appearing for Tamil Nadu told the court that Umrao had not appeared even once before the police and has not filed any affidavit till date stating that he would refrain from posting anything that would lead to enmity between groups. He also supported the Madras High Court bail condition imposed on Umrao contending that it is for only questioning him and he can comply with the condition. "Look at his tweet. He is an advocate. An advocate is saying that Hindi-speaking people are being attacked in Tamil Nadu," argued advocate Rohatgi. The court asked about his position at the bar to which it was informed that Umrao is a standing counsel for Goa. "He should be more responsible," said J Gavai.
