Swara Bhasker Says She Was "Ashamed, Upset" By 2019 Ayodhya Verdict — "SC Said Babri Demolition Unlawful, Then Rewarded Same People"

 "Cheap Publicity Stunt": Petitioner Said Swara Trying To Incite People Against Supreme Cour

MUMBAI:Actor Swara Bhasker has once again come under fire for her remarks on the 2019 Ayodhya Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid verdict.

Speaking at a panel discussion organised by Mumbai Collective on February 1, 2020 on the topic 'Artists Against Communalism', Swara said:

"We are living in a country where the Supreme Court states that demolition of Babri Masjid was unlawful and in the same judgment rewards the same people who brought down the mosque. We are now in a situation where our courts are not sure whether they believe in the Constitution or not."

She also said she felt "ashamed and upset" by the November 9, 2019 unanimous verdict of a 5-judge bench headed by then CJI Ranjan Gogoi which gave the 2.77 acre disputed land to Ram Lalla Virajman and ordered 5 acres alternative land for Sunni Waqf Board to build a mosque. The court had also held that placing idols in 1949 and demolition in 1992 were illegal.

Contempt petition:

 Following her remarks, Karnataka resident Usha Shetty, represented by advocates Anuj Saxena, Prakash Sharma and Mahek Maheshwari, filed a plea before Attorney General KK Venugopal seeking consent under Section 15 of Contempt of Courts Act, 1971 to initiate criminal contempt proceedings.

 The plea alleged Swara's statement was "derogatory, scandalous" and a "deliberate attempt to turn masses to resist and revolt against apex court" and was a "cheap stunt of publicity."

On August 21, 2020, AG KK Venugopal declined consent, saying the statement was a "factual" perception of the speaker and did not scandalise the Supreme Court or lower its authority. He said initiating contempt would give more credence to it.

Why SRK, Salman, Aamir dragged in:

 The ABP report notes that during anti-CAA protests, when asked why Bollywood biggies like *Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan and Aamir Khan were silent, Swara and co-panelist Zeeshan Ayyub had said "Bollywood does not run the country" and "Bollywood is not important, bigger questions are before the country."

 Earlier, Aamir had refused to comment on Ayodhya, citing his film Thugs of Hindostan release, while Shah Rukh had appealed for peace and said "we should treat this as a decision we all need to follow with peace and love."

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 Swara Bhasker on 2019 Ayodhya verdict: "SC said Babri demolition unlawful, then rewarded those who did it — ashamed & upset, courts not sure if they believe in Constitution"  Contempt plea filed in 2020, AG Venugopal refused consent, row over silence of SRK-Salman-Aamir resurfaces.