Mumbai court issues summons to Javed Akhtar over RSS remarks

Javed Akhtar allegedly drew parallels between the Taliban and Hindu extremists after the hard-line Islamist group seized power in Afghanistan in August 2021.

Mumbai, Dec 14: Well-known Hindi lyricist Javed Akhtar has received summons from a Mumbai court over a defamation case filed by a lawyer over his alleged remarks against the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), which he had made during a television interview in 2021.

Last October, advocate Santosh Dubey filed a complaint against the 77-year-old lyricist-poet before the metropolitan magistrate court at suburban Mulund under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 499 (defamation) and 500 (punishment for defamation).

The noted writer had allegedly drawn parallels between the Taliban and Hindu extremists after the hard-line Islamist group seized power in Afghanistan in August 2021.

The RSS supporter and petiotiner had drawn parallels between the Taliban and Hindu extremists in the backdrop of the radical outfit seizing power in Afghanistan in August 2021. He claimed that the remarks were a "well planned" move to defame the RSS as well as to "discourage and misguide people" who have joined the organisation or would like to join it, lawyer Dubey had alleged.

After hearing a brief argument and on perusal of documents on record, metropolitan magistrate P K Raut issued process (summons) to Akhtar. The matter was adjourned to February 6, the date on which the writer has to appear in the court, said the complainant.

During an interview with a TV channel on September 3, Akhtar had claimed that the mentality of those who support RSS, VHP and Bajrang Dal is the same as that of the Taliban. He said, "The way the Taliban are trying to build a Muslim nation. In the same way, some people present the concept of Hindu Rashtra to us." He further added, "These people have the same mentality. The Taliban are violent. Are wild. But the people who support RSS, Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal have the same mentality."

"They have no love for minorities, like Taliban. They want women to be home, like the Taliban. What is the difference between the two? They say no law is superior to their religious faith, that is what the Taliban say. How are you different from them?" he had added.

With inputs from PTI