Supreme Court Weighs in on Imran Pratapgarhi's Controversial Poem Case

The Supreme Court has reserved its verdict on Congress MP Imran Pratapgarhi's plea to dismiss an FIR filed by Gujarat Police. The FIR alleges that Pratapgarhi promoted communal disharmony via a social media post but the court noted the poem advocates non-violence, indicating potential overreach by authorities.

The Supreme Court has reserved its decision regarding Congress MP Imran Pratapgarhi's challenge against a Gujarat High Court ruling, which denied quashing an FIR filed against him. The charges relate to a video post on social media featuring his poem, allegedly promoting communal discord.

During the proceedings, the apex court, comprising Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhutan, noted that despite the allegations, the poem actually propagated a message of peace and non-violence, and was unrelated to any anti-national activity. The court emphasized the police should have approached the situation with greater sensitivity.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Gujarat government, highlighted the perils of social media misuse while affirming the importance of understanding the right to freedom of speech. Previously, the court protected Pratapgarhi from arrest amidst accusations of sowing communal enmity via a poem shared on social media. A Jamnagar resident had filed the complaint, leading to the ongoing legal battle.

(With inputs from agencies.)