AG gives consent for contempt action against Yati Narsinghanand for comments on Constitution, SC

New Delhi, January 21

Attorney General KK Venugopal on Friday gave his consent to initiate contempt action against Juna Akhara Mahamandleshwar’s Yati Narsinghanand for his alleged utterances against the Constitution and the Supreme Court.

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In an interview given to one Vishal Singh being circulated on Twitter, Narshinghanand had allegedly said, “We have no trust in the Supreme Court of India and the Constitution. The Constitution will consume the 100 crore Hindus of this country. Those who believe in this Constitution will be killed. Those who believe in this system, in these politicians, in the Supreme Court, and in the Army will all die the death of a dog”.

In a letter addressed to activist Shachi Nelli—who had sought his consent to initiate contempt proceedings against Swami Narsinghanand—Venugopal said the statement in question was “a direct attempt to lower the authority of the Supreme Court in the minds of the general public. This would certainly amount to contempt of the Supreme Court of India”.

Arrested by the Haridwar Police on January 15 in a hate speech case, the Juna Akhara Mahamandleshwar was denied bail by a Haridwar court on Thursday.

Nelli had written to Venugopal that the comments were a vile and clear attempt at interfering in the course of justice by means of abusive rhetoric and baseless attacks on the integrity of the Constitution and courts and undermined the majesty and the authority of the Supreme Court.

According to Section 15 of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971, the Attorney General’s is needed to initiate contempt proceedings against anybody before the Supreme Court.

“The Supreme Court of India is the first interpreter and the guardian of the Constitution of India. It is appalling to see the lack of faith and sheer contempt being expressed towards the fundamental frameworks of this country. The intent to undermine the Court and its capacity to dispense justice is evident”, Nelli had written to Venugopal, seeking his consent for contempt action against Swami Narsinghanand.

Nelli had also referred to another video clip in which he allegedly said, “When Jitendra Singh Tyagi who went by the name Wasim Rizvi and wrote his book, not a single policeman, not one of these “hijde’ policemen or politicians had the courage to arrest him”.

“Any such attempt to harm the majesty of the institution and diminish the faith that citizens of India have in the court can result in complete chaos and anarchy. This is perhaps the most vicious attack on the Supreme Court in its history,” Nelli had written in his letter.