May 22 2008
Bihar court summons Sonia Gandhi!
Congress president Sonia Gandhi who was allegedly outraging religious feelings of Hindus for her depiction as Goddess Durga in a poster at the party’s Muradabad office in Uttar Pradesh is issued a notice by Muzaffarpur court on Wednesday to appear in the court on June 26. Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee chief Rita Bahuguna and Muradabad District Congress Committee president Ajay Taleshwar Soni are also summoned along with Sonia.
A fast-track court judge Vijay Kumar Mandal ordered issue of summons to her after hearing the complainant, an advocate Sudhir Ojha. District Judge H K Srivastava had on March 25 admitted the complaint filed by Ojha against Gandhi and the others.
Mandal directed that Sonia Gandhi, Bahuguna and Soni should appear in person or their counsels on the next date of hearing on June 26. If failed to do so, the court would be compelled to take an unilateral decision.
Earlier, the court had on April 14 issued notices to them asking them to explain their position on Wednesday.
The charges were made under three sections of IPC: Sections 295 (injuring or defiling place of worship with intent to insult the religion of any class), 295 (a) (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious belief) and 120(b) (criminal conspiracy).
