Delhi
India’s Supreme Court has ordered charges dropped against an American scholar accused of “attempting to disturb the communal peace.” Hard-line Hindus had claimed that James W. Laine’s History Shivaji: Hindu King in Islamic India defamed the 17th-century leader by questioning his parentage. In 2003, when the book came out, a Hindu mob attacked the institute in Maharashtra where Laine had done his research, destroying thousands of rare books and Sanskrit manuscripts. Maharashtra state quickly banned the book and put Laine on trial. The court ruling this week said Laine had no intent to insult and couldn’t be held responsible for the hurt feelings.
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