Sonia Gandhi summoned over Goddess Durga posters

Muzzaffarpur, Jul 17: The ruling Congress-led UPA government's chairperson, Sonia Gandhi has been summoned to appear before a Bihar court on Jul 29 over controversial posters put up in Uttar Pradesh in 2007 depicting her as Goddess Durga.

After hearing the complainant and senior advocate Sudhir Kumar Ojha argue that the posters were an "insult to Hindu religion", Additional District and Sessions Judge (Muzaffarpur) A K Srivastava on Saturday, Jul 17 ordered the issue of the summon.

Sonia Gandhi has been asked to either appear in person or through her lawyer.

The judge has issued a separate summon to Uttar Pradesh Congess Committee (UPCC) president Rita Bahuguna and the party's Muradabad district president to appear before the court on Jul 29 as well.

According to the petition filed by Ojha, a photograph of the Congress president allegedly depicted as Goddess Durga had appeared in the Muzaffarpur edition of a Hindi daily on Jun 21, 2007. The office of the Muradabad Congress was also seen in the picture.

The petitioner accused Gandhi and other Congress leaders of scheming to "insult Hindi religion and the Hindu community."

OneIndia News