Hindu Mahasabha members booked for setting up Sharia-like ‘Hindu court’

MEERUT: Nearly a month after the members of Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha set up the first Hindu court, on the lines of Sharia courts, on Independence Day, Meerut police filed a case against them at Brahmpuri police station here on Tuesday.
Set up with an aim to make decisions on Hindu affairs, and have an equivalent court-like system in place just like Darul Qaza (Sharia courts) – which resolves issues in line with Islamic laws, the “first Hindu court” had also got its first judge in a ceremony that was held here at the party’s office on Meerut’s Sharda road on August 15 this year.
Satish Kumar Rai, station house officer, Brahmpuri police station, said, “We have booked Pandit Ashok Sharma, national vice-president of the outfit, and Abhishek Agarwal, its Meeurt district president, under IPC’s section 153 (A) (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, caste, creed). The matter is under investigation and action will be taken accordingly.”
Asked why the action was taken nearly a month later, Rai said that the case was filed on the basis of the Local Intelligence Unit’s report, which they received only recently.
The Hindu court was set up to deal with matters related to Hindus only and issues ranging from harassment of Hindu women, Hindu marriages, disputes of property or money, and many others.
Meanwhile, it should be noted that the Allahabad high court had issued notice to the UP government over the formation of Hindu courts on the basis of a PIL filed by one Ankit Singh. Singh had cited that the setting up of the ‘Hindu courts’ was illegal.
Talking to TOI, Pandit Ashok Sharma, Mahasabha’s national vice-president, said, “It is strange that despite a PIL being pending in this matter in the high court, police have filed a case against us. We will challenge the FIR in the court and seek relief.”