Delhi HC says Rana Ayyub’s tweets on Hindu deities and VD Savarkar are “derogatory, communal”, asks police to act

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday took strong exception to the tweets posted by journalist Rana Ayyub between 2013 and 2017 on Hindu deities and right wing idealogue Vinayak Savarkar.

Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav said that the tweets are "highly derogatory, inflammatory and communal" and asked the Delhi Police and X to take necessary action.

The Court further said that the matter requires urgent consideration and the X, Delhi Police and the Central government will have to act in tandem.

The High Court issued notice to Ayyub, X and Delhi Police and sought their responses to the plea flagging the tweets.

The case will be heard again on April 10.

“Let the respondents take instructions and do the needful. Let them file a response by tomorrow. Let the matter be called the day after tomorrow. The action is necessary in view of the highly derogatory, inflammatory and communal tweets posted by Respondent Number 4 [Rana Ayyub] pursuant to which an FIR has been registered on the orders of a competent court. The matter requires urgent consideration. The official who represents Delhi Police is also directed to transmit necessary directions to Respondent Number 3 (X Corp). Let Delhi Police also be impleaded as a party,” the Court ordered. 

The High Court was dealing with a plea filed by advocate Amita Sachdeva. She had earlier approached the Saket Court for criminal action against Ayyub.

Based on Sachdeva's complaint, the trial court had ordered registration of an FIR against Ayyub and directed the police to conduct an investigation.

The Delhi Police later told the Court that the Tweets in question were no longer on X.

It is Sachdeva's case that Ayyub’s tweets insulted Hindu Gods, Sita and Ram, Veer Savarkar and Hindu nationalism, and spread "anti-India" sentiments. 

"That upon reading the contents of the tweets, the Petitioner, being a follower of Sanatan Dharma, was deeply hurt and aggrieved as the posts prima facie contain insults against Hindu Deities, revered historical figures, and are capable of promoting communal disharmony," Sachdeva has said.

In her petition, Sachdeva referred to six tweets made by Ayyub between 2013 and 2017.

The 2013 tweet by Ayyub read, "Ravana didn't touch Sita even though he could. Ram didn't stand for Sita even though he should have. Ravana 1 Ram 0."

In October 2014, Ayyub quoted a couplet by Ali Sardar Jafri which read, "Gareeb Sita ke ghar pe kab tak rahegi Ravan ki hukmrani, Draupadi ka libas uske badan se kab tak chhina karega".

Further, in 2015, Ayyub tweeted about Savarkar.

The tweet said, "So Veer Savarkar advocated rape as necessary component of Hindutva nationalism."

In another tweet on Savarkar, Ayyub said, "Was reading Nathuram Godse's account of Savarkar & wondering if we shud continue to honour the terrorist sympathiser"

In 2016, Ayyub posted a tweet with the picture of a boy will injuries on his face.

The Tweet read, "Dear Indian army, am guessing this young kid was quite a threat to the sovereignty of India to be blinded for life."