The Supreme Court of India has intervened in the case of Swami Prasad Maurya, a prominent leader of the Samajwadi Party, by issuing an interim order to stay the ongoing criminal proceedings against him. Maurya had been facing charges related to allegedly disparaging the Shri Ramcharitmanas, a revered Hindu epic, and inciting the public to desecrate it.

The bench, led by Justice B.R. Gavai and Sandeep Mehta, challenged the basis of the allegations during the hearing, questioning the sensitivity surrounding such matters and emphasizing the importance of interpretation and freedom of thought. The court remarked, "Why are you so touchy about these things? It is a matter of interpretation. It is a line of thought. How is it an offence? He cannot be held responsible for burning copies."

Representing the Uttar Pradesh government, Additional Advocate General Sharan Dev Singh Thakur faced scrutiny from the bench. The Supreme Court agreed to hear the special leave petition submitted by Maurya and issued notices to both the Uttar Pradesh state government and the original complainant who filed the FIR against Maurya, sparking the legal proceedings.

The court's decision effectively puts a hold on the lower court proceedings, granting a four-week period for the return of the notice. This development follows the dismissal of Maurya's plea by the Allahabad High Court in October 2023, which challenged both the charge sheet and summons issued by the Special Judge. The High Court had stated that the available evidence prima facie justified Maurya’s trial in the lower court.

The controversy stems from allegations made by lawyer Santosh Kumar Mishra, who claimed that Maurya's actions led to protestors burning copies of the Ramcharitmanas. This epic, authored by the 16th-century poet Tulsidas, holds significant religious and cultural importance in Hinduism. The FIR, registered by the City Kotwali police in Pratapgarh, charged Maurya, SP MLA Dr. R.K. Verma, and others under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including promoting enmity, hurting religious feelings, and making statements conducive to public mischief.