Mumbai, NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Saturday described as “misuse of power” the Delhi Lieutenant Governor’s sanction to prosecute author Arundhati Roy under the stringent UA for an alleged provocative speech in 2010.
He was speaking to reporters during a joint press conference with Maha Vikas Aghadi allies Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan.
Asked about Delhi L-G VK Saxena’s sanction to prosecute Roy under the Unlawful Activities Act, or UA, for an address at an event 14 years ago, the former Union minister said, “This is nothing but misuse of power.”
Besides Roy, Saxena on Friday also gave the green signal for action under UA against former Central University of Kashmir professor Sheikh Showkat Hussain.
Roy, a Booker Prize-winning author, and Hussain had been named in an FIR registered on October 28, 2010.
The two had allegedly made provocative speeches at a conference organised under the banner of ‘Azadi - The Only Way’ on October 21, 2010, in New Delhi.
“The issues discussed and spoken about at the conference propagated the separation of Kashmir from India,” an official said on Friday.
{{/usCountry}}“The issues discussed and spoken about at the conference propagated the separation of Kashmir from India,” an official said on Friday.
{{/usCountry}}Last October, the L-G had granted sanction to prosecute them under section 196 of CrPC for commission of offences punishable under different sections of the Indian Penal Code: 153A , 153B and 505 .
Those who delivered speeches at the conference included Syed Ali Shah Geelani, SAR Geelani , Roy, Hussain and Telugu poet and Varavara Rao.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.