SC approves lifting of ban on Shivaji book

Jul 10, 2010 - Age Correspondent |

New Delhi

The Supreme Court on Friday refused to intervene in the Bombay high court order lifting Maharasthra government’s ban on foreign author James Laine book on Hindu icon Chhattrapati Shivaji.

An apex court bench of Justices D.K. Jain and H.L. Dattu upheld the high court order and rejected the appeal of the Maharasthra government to set it aside, Maharashtra government lawyer Sanjay Kharde confirmed.
Since the copies of the judgement were not available to the media, details of the apex court findings on the contentious issue were not fully known.
The Maharasthra government had imposed a ban on Laine’s book, Shivaji – The Hindu King in Muslim India, in 2004 and prohibited its publication, sale and circulation by any agency.
The publishers and the distributors challenged the ban order in the high court, which after a detailed hearing had struck down the state’s notification proscribing the book.
Almost all the political parties in Maharasthra had supported the state’s decision as they alleged that the author had made certain “disparaging” references towards Shivaji, who is revered as a hero and great historical character by all Indians, and Mahrashrians in particular. But Shiv Sena and BJP were in the forefront in protesting against the book.

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