Why no FIRs against Kapil Mishra, Anurag Thakur, Parvesh Verma: Congress

Congress on Friday said that it will "fearlessly and firmly give a befitting reply" in court over plea filed in Delhi High Court seeking registration of FIRs against senior party leaders and also took a dig at the Centre over FIRs not having been registered against BJP leaders over their alleged objectionable remarks.

Addressing a press conference here, Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi said the party will seek dismissal of the plea in the court.

"We will give an extremely strong, befitting, comprehensive and straight-forward reply, but let me tell you that the whole world is receiving FIRs but the whole world does not include Kapil Mishra, Anurag Thakur and Parvesh Verma, not even an FIR now after months. And of course after years, not an FIR against Giriraj Singh, against Chinmayanand, against Sangeet Som," he said.

Taking a swipe at the Centre, Singhvi said sarcastically that the speeches of BJP leaders were "very mild" compared to those of party leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.

"Surely, their speeches were very mild compared to the hate and venom spewed out by Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi. By the way, we have not seen which speech has so much hate and venom that it deserves an FIR and their speeches, which we have all seen on TV, don't deserve an FIR," he said.

He also cautioned the courts to follow their own rules concerning public interest litigations.

"I would, with the greatest of respect but with equal firmness, caution the courts that they have to follow their own rules... Notice is not automatic and should never be automatic in PILs... We will fearlessly, boldly and firmly give a befitting reply in court and ask for it to be dismissed with exemplary costs," he said.

The Delhi High Court on Friday issued notices to the Centre, Delhi government and Delhi Police on a petition seeking registration of FIR against Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, AAP leader and Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and others over alleged hate speech.

A division bench of Chief Justice DN Patel and Justice C Hari Shankar asked the respondents to file their reply on the petition and listed the matter for further hearing on April 13.

The plea, filed by a group, Lawyers Voice, sought directions to constitute a Special Investigation Team (SIT). The petition also sought appropriate action against these leaders. .