NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Thursday, October 20, issued notice to the Centre in a petition filed by Shaheen Abdullah seeking action under penal statutes & UAPA against speakers involved in delivering provocative speeches targetting the Muslim community as well as organisations providing platforms to such speakers. This is the fourth major petition addressing the deleterious question of hate and inciteful speech pending in India’s apex court.
A bench of Justices Ajay Rastogi and CT Ravikumar tagged Abdullah’s petition which also sought an independent probe into the incidents of hate speech and hate crimes against the Muslim community with the earlier batch of pleas seeking to curb hate speech.
Urging the bench to take action against the prominent leaders involved in such speeches, senior advocate Kapil Sibal said, “Something needs to be done. If courts also do not do anything then God will save this country.” Taking exception to Sibal’s remarks, Justice Rastogi said, “do not take our institutions or this country for granted”. It (hate speeches) will go on. Adding that the court can take cognisance against individuals upon registration of FIR, the bench termed the reliefs sought in the plea as vague.
The petition had argued that despite the fact that the court was cognisant of the genocidal speeches and hate crimes against Muslims made at several events and passing several orders directing the concerned authorities to take appropriate action, the circumstances of the country only seemed to be worsening with the growing radicalisation of the Hindu community and the propagation of widespread hate against Muslims.
“Action seems to be forthcoming against the speakers or the parties that organise such events where genocidal and hateful speeches are delivered. In most cases, minimal action of merely registering FIRs and that too under lesser offences is the only thing that is done by the authorities which seems to be more of a formality than any genuine initiation of the criminal machinery.
The Government also is deliberately tardy, refraining from publicly condemning the growing incidents of verbal and physical assault against Muslims across the country, despite being the guardian of all the citizens of this country,” the petition stated. The bench on September 21 had asked the Modi government to indicate within two weeks its stand as to whether it intends to bring any law to curb the menace.
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