Hurting religious feelings: Delhi LG rejects plea for Mayawati's prosecution

Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena has refused to grant prosecution sanction against former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati in a case of allegedly hurting religious sentiments by comparing herself to Lord Rama, officials said on Thursday.

The case is based on a complaint submitted by a person identified as Chatter Singh Rachhoya on August 20, 2019 to the district magistrate of West Delhi, home secretary, government of India and the LG with a request to grant sanction under section 196 of the CrPC to prosecute Mayawati.

In his complaint, Rachhoya referred to Mayawati's affidavit filed before the Supreme Court in which she said that if the ruling party in Uttar Pradesh can make an idol of Lord Rama in Ayodhya measuring 221 metres by using government funds, then why can she not get her own idol made.

The petitioner alleged this hurt his religious sentiments as the Bahujan Samaj Party supremo compared herself to Lord Rama.

He further said that he had a filed complaint against Mayawati with the SHO of Nangloi and under sections 200 and 156(3) of the CrPC in the court of the metropolitan magistrate, Tis Hazari.

Rachhoya informed that due to procedural bar under section 196 of the CrPC, the court was unable to take cognisance in the case and hence, he requested the Delhi government for grant of sanction under the provision.

While the home department informed the Delhi Police on September 9 last year that no prosecution sanction is made out under section 295(A) of the IPC in the case, the complainant again filed an application on January 4, 2023, with the request to grant sanction under section 196 of the CrPC to prosecute Mayawati under IPC sections 153(A) and 295(A).

Disposing the file, the LG has noted, "I am of the considered view that prima facie no case is made out against Ms Mayawati. Therefore, the request of prosecution sanction under section 196 of the CrPC 1973, is hereby rejected."