Delhi HC terms Rana Ayyub's old tweets on Savarkar 'derogatory', seeks action
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New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday came down sharply on journalist Rana Ayyub over her past social media posts concerning Hindu deities and right-wing ideologue Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, describing the tweets as “highly derogatory, inflammatory and communal.”
Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav directed the Delhi Police and social media platform X to take appropriate action, while issuing notices to Ayyub, the Delhi Police, and the central government, seeking their responses.
Sources told Siasat.com that Ayyub may be required to appear in person before the court, a development that could impact her activism. The matter is scheduled for further hearing on April 10.
The case originates from a complaint filed by advocate Amita Sachdeva, who identifies herself as a follower of Sanatan Dharma, through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal, seeking criminal proceedings against the journalist.
Following the complaint, a first information report (FIR) was registered under sections 153 (promoting enmity between groups), 295A (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings), and 505 (statements conducing public mischief) of the Indian Penal Code. The Delhi Police has been directed to conduct an investigation.
The complaint pertains to tweets posted by Ayyub between 2013 and 2017, which have since been deleted. These posts referenced figures such as Lord Ram, Goddess Sita, Demon King Ravan, Mahabharata character Draupadi, Savarkar, and the Indian Army.
In one tweet from 2013, Ayyub wrote: “Ravana didn’t touch Sita even though he could. Ram didn’t stand for Sita even though he should have. Ravana 1 Ram 0.”
In October 2014, she quoted a couplet by poet Ali Sardar Jafri, which read: “Gareeb Sita ke ghar pe kab tak rahegi Ravan ki hukmrani, Draupadi ka libas uske badan se kab tak chhina karega.”
In 2015, Ayyub posted tweets stating, “So Veer Savarkar advocated rape as necessary component of Hindutva nationalism,” and questioned whether Savarkar should continue to be honoured, referring to him as a “terrorist sympathiser” based on Nathuram Godse’s account.
In 2016, she tagged the Indian Army in a post featuring a boy injured by pellet bullets, writing: “Dear Indian army, am guessing this young kid was quite a threat to the sovereignty of India to be blinded for life.”
Advocate Sachdeva, in her complaint, cited six tweets by Ayyub, alleging that they insulted Hindu deities, Savarkar, and the Indian Army, and accused the journalist of repeatedly using social media to promote hostility against India and its citizens.