SC dismisses plea to remove 26 verses of Quran, calls it 'absolutely frivolous'

The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a petition filed by former UP Shia Waqf Board chairman Waseem Rizvi seeking the removal of 26 verses from the holy Quran alleging that they promoted terrorism. The court termed this petition as “absolutely frivolous” and dismissed it with a cost of ₹50,000.

A bench of Justices R F Nariman B R Gavai and Hrishikesh Roy rejected the petition in which Rizvi alleged that these 26 verses of Quran encouraged terrorism. In his plea, Rizvi has said that Islam is based on the concepts of equity, equality, forgiveness and tolerance but due to extreme interpretations of these particular verses of the holy book, the religion has been drifting away from the basic tenets.

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Rizvi’s plea has attracted a massive backlash as several Muslim outfits and Islamic clerics protested against the former chairman of the Waqf Board. Last month, an FIR was registered in Bareilly against Rizvi for allegedly hurting religious sentiments of Muslims with his petition in the India’s top court. The FIR was registered at the Kotwali police station following complaints by Anjuman Khuddam-e-Rasool secretary Shan Ahmed and an organisation known as Ittehad-e-Millat council.