Hate Speech

Yesterday, February 20 itself, Citizens for Justice & Peace had in a detailed pre-emptive complaint to the Mira Road Bhayander police pointed out not just the antecedents of the organisation and speaker, but also a slew of judgements of the Supreme Court directing the Maharashtra police in particular to take stern and pre-emotive steps to prevent provocative hate speech and resultant stigmatisation of minorities and violence. CJP moved to file the complaint after Singh released a video on social media calling people in large numbers to join his ‘Hindu Jan Aakrosh’ rally on February 25

Mira Road continues to be a tense neighbourhood. Citizens from the neighbourhood filed a complaint with the police, demanding a fair enquiry and asking that there be an investigation of those BJP politicians, who put the already-tense neighbourhood in danger by making reportedly incendiary statements.

From individual hate crimes to anti-Muslim slogans at rallies, Mumbai witnesses growing attacks and fear against Muslims

In a petition demanding arrest and prosecution of BJP leader Vikram Pawaskar, HC expresses surprise over state’s claim for need for a forensic examination of the video of the event that the police had themselves recorded

Kankavli’s MLA from BJP, Nitesh Rane reached Govandi last week in Mumbai to lead a rally where he demanded bulldozer action against the mosques and Madrasas in the area, stating that they were illegal and that the area was becoming increasingly populated by “Rohingya and Bangladeshi.”

With multiple guidelines on curbing hate speech issued by Supreme Court in 2023 (and 2022 before that) continue to fall on deaf ears, how do citizens ensure a hate free 2024?

After being detained for almost 12 hours, Azhari was taken to Gujarat; hundreds protested the detention outside the police station; Suresh Chavhanke of the notorious Sudarshan News TV indulged in communal diatribe while reporting on the case against Azhari

Citizens of Mira-Road Bhayandar from different walks of life have met the Senior Police Inspector (PI) Naya Nagar Police Station, Vilas Supe and, in strongly worded and detailed written complaint to him demanded a full-fledged inquiry and strict legal action into elected members from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Geeta Jain and Nitesh Rane over their inciteful behaviour on January 22 and 24

Last week Mumbai’s Mira Road saw widespread violence as a mob of Hindutva supporters had rallied in the area and subjected the residents and their properties to violence. Rane, implicated earlier for making incendiary statements allegedly, once again is in the news for a controversial speech

The high court bench also directed the police to ensure protection of petitioner, witness in the cause after concerns of safety were raised in the hearing