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Before a Delhi Court today in a Delhi riots case, accused and "United Against Hate" campaign member Khalid Saifi inquired whether saying ‘As-Salaam-Alaikum’ is illegal as he had read news reports to the effect that the statement was made by the court. The court in turn clarified that nothing to this effect has been said by the court. 

Saifi's inquiry was made while the court of Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat was marking the presence of accused persons who are facing court proceedings in connection with the Northeast Delhi riots before the court.

The accused presented today via video conferencing included Asif Iqbal Tanha, Umar Khalid, Devangana Kalita, Natasha Narwal, Khalid Saifi, and others.

Upon Saifi’s inquiry about the usage of words ‘As-Salaam-Alaikum’, the court informed Saifi that a submission was made by the prosecution counsel during Sharjeel Imam’s bail plea in sedition case against him averring that beginning a speech with the words ‘As-Salaam-Alaikum’ implies that it is addressed to a particular community. The court told Saifi the same are not court’s words.

The said submission was made by the prosecution against Imam’s bail plea regarding his 2019 speech. Imam is facing sedition charges for speeches made by him at two universities in January, 2019 where he allegedly threatened to cut off Assam and the rest of the Northeast from India.

During Imam’s bail plea the prosecution contended that Imam started his speech with the words 'As-salamu alaykum' which implied that it was addressed to a particular community and not to the public at large.

Therefore, the court clarified to Saifi that his query is regarding one of the submissions made before court not something that the court said.

Following this Saifi informed the court about his intention to file a case against Delhi police before the National Green Tribunal as well, contending that the police has wasted about 2 million fresh pages to file the charge sheet against him. 

Khalid is one of the accused in the North-East Delhi riots matter and is facing charges under Sections 13, 16, 17, 18 of the UAPA, Sections 25 and 27 of the Arms Act and Section 3 and 4 of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act,1984 including charges under Indian Penal Code. 

The matter is listed to be next heard on Sep 30.