Snehal Upadhyay-
Published on: August 23, 2021, at 18:05 IST
Sharjeel Imam, a JNU student while arguing for his bail related to the case of UAPA [Unlawful Acvities (Prevention) Act] in connection with the Delhi riots told the Court that without criticism a society dies and turns into a heap of sheep.
Advocate Tanvir Ahmad Mir was representing Imam said in front of the Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat that there was nothing in the speech delivered by him which directly or indirectly points towards violence.
Advocate Tanvir contended that “Sharjeel deserves to be booked and kept inside a correctional facility because he gave this speech… it is fallacious. What the speech conveys is – block the roads, do chakka jam and rail roko Andolan so that people are not able to traverse.”
Further, he also brought the focus of the Court that “when Sharjeel says that CAA is per se unconstitutional, prejudicial against one community and persuades the govt to rethink and says that if it does not reconsider its decision we will be on the streets, he can’t be hammered with sedition.”
The advocate argued that the Right to Protest is a fundamental right and it cannot just be infringed. The petitioner didn’t intend violence in his speech and hence he is being suppressed and his rights have been infringed.
“Investigating authorities cannot abdicate their legal, moral or other responsibilities in following the constitutional mandate which is that they can book a person when it’s justified,” Advocate showed his grievances.
The argument of Imam will rebut on September 1 and 2.