By Rajesh Pandey
The Allahabad High Court on Monday adjourned the hearing of a criminal revision petition filed by Saharanpur Congress MP Imran Masood, who is challenging the charges framed against him in connection with an alleged hate speech delivered during the 2014 Lok Sabha election campaign.
The matter came up before Justice Sameer Jain, who deferred further proceedings.
Background of the Case
On October 21, 2024, the MP-MLA court in Saharanpur framed charges against Masood for the controversial speech he made in 2014 against then BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi. Dissatisfied with the decision, Masood approached the High Court to challenge the entire criminal trial process pending against him in the MP-MLA court.
At the time of the speech in 2014, Imran Masood was contesting the Lok Sabha elections from Saharanpur as a Congress candidate, while Narendra Modi was campaigning nationwide as the BJP’s face for the Prime Minister’s post.
FIR and Charges
The case against Masood was registered on March 27, 2014, by Kotwali Deoband in-charge Kusum Veer Singh. The charges include:
- Section 295A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC): For making statements intended to hurt religious sentiments or promote hatred.
- Section 125 of the Representation of the People Act: For attempting to create hostility or enmity between different communities during elections.
- Section 310 of the SC/ST Act: For remarks that could be interpreted as discriminatory or instigating against the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
Political Storm and Viral Video
The incident created a major political uproar in 2014. The video of Masood’s speech went viral on social media, sparking widespread outrage and debates during the highly charged election season.
In the video, Masood was allegedly heard warning Narendra Modi in sharp terms. He stated:
“Modi should not consider Uttar Pradesh as Gujarat. There are only four percent Muslims in Gujarat, while in Uttar Pradesh, Muslims make up 42 percent. If Modi tries to turn UP into Gujarat, the Muslims here will teach him a tough lesson.”
These remarks were seen as provocative and contributed to an already heated political atmosphere. The case has since continued in the legal system, resurfacing again with the latest framing of charges in 2024.
With the High Court adjourning the hearing, the matter remains pending. The outcome of this case will have both legal and political significance, given Masood’s role as a current Member of Parliament from Saharanpur and the sensitive context of the allegations against him.
#AllahabadHighCourt #ImranMasood #HateSpeechCase #NarendraModi #LokSabhaElections2014 #Congress #BJP #UPPolitics #MPMLACourt #Saharanpur #IndianPolitics #ViralVideo #CourtCase