Maharashtra / Javed Akhtar gets show cause notice from Thane court for RSS-Taliban remarks

Veteran lyricist Javed Akhtar has been issued a show-cause notice by a Thane court in connection with a defamation suit filed against him over his remarks that drew parallels between Taliban and RSS. The court has asked Akhtar to appear before it on November 12. The suit, filed by RSS activist Vivek Champanerkar, seeks ₹1 as compensation from Akhtar.

Vikrant Shekhawat : Sep 28, 2021, 01:22 PM
Mumbai: A Thane court has issued a show-cause notice to poet-lyricist Javed Akhtar on a complaint by a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) member over the former “drawing parallel” between the organisation and Taliban during a TV interview earlier this month.

The complainant alleged that Akhtar made defamatory remarks and was “well-planned” to defame RSS and “discourage, disparage and misguide” the people who have joined RSS.

The Chief Judicial Magistrate’s court in Thane issued show-cause notice to Akhtar asking him to respond before November 12.

The complainant said that Akhtar, a former Rajya Sabha member, that the goal of RSS is the same as that of the Taliban “even after the highest democratically elected office bearers of Bharat like the incumbent president, vice-president, prime minister and several cabinet ministers…have been supporters and members of RSS”.

He added that Akhtar had made the comments “without proof” of even one member having acted “like Taliban”. The complainant sought Re 1 as damages and compensation and a permanent injunction to not drag the name of RSS or make such statements.