'What About Rajasthan Tailor Kanhaiya Lal?': Supreme Court Questions 'Selective' Approach In PIL Over Mob Lynchings

The Supreme Court on Tuesday (16 April) emphasised that cases of mob lynching cannot be taken up selectively.

The SC bench, consisting of Justices B R Gavai, Aravind Kumar, and Sandeep Mehta, referred to the Kanhaiya Lal murder and asked petitioning lawyers to not be selective when presenting such cases.

The apex court was hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) related to mob violence and cow vigilantism.

The court has asked various state governments to report back within six weeks on the measures taken to address incidents of mob lynching.

During the hearing, advocate Nizam Pasha, who appeared for the petitioner organisation, highlighted cases of lynching in Madhya Pradesh and Haryana.

In response, Justice Kumar told Pasha that incidents mentioned in the petitions should not be selectively chosen from particular states but all incidents should be mentioned.

"What about that tailor in Rajasthan..Kanhaiya Lal... who was lynched," the top court asked, India Today reported.

When advocate Pasha told the bench that it was not included in the present petition, the Court said, "You have to ensure that it is not selective at all if all states are there...".

Kanhaiya Lal was brutally killed in June 2022 after he allegedly shared a social media post in support of Nupur Sharma, an ex Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson, who made remarks about Prophet Mohammad.

Senior advocate Archana Pathak Dave, representing one of the states, argued that the petition specifically claimed that Muslim men were victims of mob lynching, with no mention of victims from other religions.

The court cautioned against focusing on religious aspects and advised maintaining a broader perspective on the issue.

The matter has been posted for hearing after summer vacation.

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