The Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain a Public Interest Litigation (PIL), that sought a a ban on writer and social scientist Kancha Ilaiah's book `Samaajika Smugglerlu Komatollu' (Social Smugglers: Komattis).
Arya Vysya organisations have been holding protests in parts of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh and burning the writer's effigies, seeking a ban on his book.
The court dismissed the plea of petitioner KLNV Veeranjaneyulu, who had made the Home Ministry, and Principal Secretary (Home) of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana as respondents.
Observing that banning of the book would curtail the writer's freedom of expression, the Supreme Court said that writers have to express their opinions within the purview of the law.
Reacting to the dismissal of the PIL, professor Ilaiah told ToI, "The petitioner, Veeranjaneyulu, who is a Arya Vysya leader, filed the PIL, but the Supreme Court dismissed it stating that it would curtail freedom of expression guaranteed by the Constitution."
Last month, Kancha was allegedly attacked with slippers and stones, as he was heading towards Hyderabad, after attending a function in Bhupalpally in Telangana.
Kancha filed a police complaint accusing four people of attacking his vehicle and trying to kill him.
Earlier this week, he even met Telangana DGP Anurag Sharma seeking police protection, after an attempted attack by Vysya community members.
The booklet ‘Saamajika Smugglerlu: Komatollu’ is the Telugu translation of his English book Post-Hindu India, written in 2009.
Kancha has defended his book, telling reporters earlier, "Social Smuggling is a phrase. It is the economic process of exploitation, which means earning in business but not investing back into society."
He was a professor from the political science department from Osmania University and is currently the Director, Center for the Study of Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy at Maulana Azad National Urdu University (MANUU) in Hyderabad.
IANS inputs