In a big jolt for journalist Abhijit Iyer Mitra, the Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed his bail plea in the case over his alleged derogatory remarks about Odisha and the Sun Temple in Konark. “Your (journalist Abhijit Iyer-Mitra) comments incite religious feelings. How are you entitled for bail?, said the apex court’s three-judge Bench while dismissing his petition for bail. The Bench was headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi.
The court commented that the best place where Mitra would be safe is jail.
Earlier, the Odisha police had arrested Mitra from Nizamuddin in New Delhi on September 20 after videos showing his offensive remarks on Konark Sun Temple and Lord Jagannath surfaced on internet triggering deep resentment among the people of Odisha. He was granted interim bail by a Saket Court on the same day which prevented Odisha cops to take him on remand.
Later, his interim relief was extended by the apex court till October 5. Besides, the court also ordered the Odisha police to make necessary security arrangement for Abhijit’s appearance in Orissa High Court, if he wants so.
Mitra, a close friend of former Kendrapada MP Baijayant Panda had made insulting remarks about the people of Odisha by calling them ‘purchased presstitutes’ and ‘paid outragers.’ Earlier, he had said, “Odisha was discovered by Bengali explorers, who called it “OriShala!!! And it was named Orissa”.
He also raised question over the famous Puri Jagannath temple. He wrote that Jagannath temple was built by the Gangas, who were disgraced Pallava Tamil retainers. “…No such thing as Orissa, just the wild southern provinces of undivided Bengal,” Mitra had tweeted. This apart, the scribe had posted a video on his twitter handle making disparaging remarks on the Sun Temple in Konark while being present at his premises.