The Delhi High Court on April 6 has sought response of former President Pranab Mukherjee on a petition filed by a social worker and a group of lawyers seeking deletion of some references to 1992 demolition of Babri Masjid in Ayodhya from his 2016 book (The Turbulent Years 1980-1996) on the grounds that it hurt sentiments of Hindu people.
Justice Pratibha M Singh has issued the notice and has asked the former president to file his reply by July 30.
The petition against former president’s book was originally filed in the Patiala house court but was dismissed later. Then the matter was taken to the High Court in an appeal against the dismissal of the petition in the lower court’s order of November 2016.
Advocate, appearing for the plaintiffs, (social worker and lawyers) had argued that the lower court wrongly dismissed the petition on the grounds that there was no cause of action.
However, the President’s counsel had opposed the plea before the trial court, stating that it was not maintainable.
