Amidst the continuous barrage of hate speeches delivered by fringe elements across the country, the Citizens for Justice and Peace has sent three complaints against the hate speeches delivered in the states of West Bengal, Gujarat, and Bihar, in the months of April, May, and June, respectively. One complaint each from these states have been reported to the respective police authority and district magistrate to ensure necessary legal action on the speakers and organisers for violating the relevant hate speech provisions of the criminal law and vitiating the communal environment.
One complaint against Gautam Khattar was sent on July 12 to Commissioner, Bidhannagar City Police, Shri Mukesh, and Collector and District Magistrate, North 24 Parganas, Sharad Kumar Dwivedi, for the hate speech delivered by Khattar at the National Yuva Conclave-2024 event organised by Friends of Tribals Society at Acharya Mahapragya Mahashraman Education & Research Foundation (AMMERF), Newtown, Kolkata. The second complaint was sent on July 16 against Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader against the hate speech delivered in Vapi, Valsad, Gujarat. The said complaint was addressed to Superintendent of Police, Valsad, Dr. Karanraj Vaghela, and Collector and District Magistrate, Valsad, Aayush Sanjeev Oak. The third complaint was sent on July 16 against Antarrashtriya Hindu Parishad-Bajrang Dal speaker for promoting enmity between religious communities through incendiary speech delivered during an event organised in Purnia, Bihar. The complaint was delivered to Superintendent of Police, Purnia, Upendra Nath Verma, and Collector and District Magistrate, Purnia, Kundan Kumar.
All our complaints include attached link to the video of the concerned hate speech and English transcription of the same with proper timestamp to assist the police officials. In addition, we have included relevant applicable criminal laws related to hate speech (both Indian Penal Code and Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita provisions) and judicial precedents, particularly Shaheen Abdullah vs Union of Indian and Tehseen S. Poonawalla vs Union of India. Wherever applicable, we have also cited state-level police directive(s) issued by senior police official(s) concerning hate speech. Finally, we explain the police authorities that it is not only their moral duty but also legal obligation to act against any incident of hate speech, requiring even suo-moto registration of FIR in cases of hate speech. Importantly, we make officials understand the direct and in-direct implications of hate speeches, not on the lives of minorities, but on the society as a whole. Finally, we ask the authorities to provide us the details of the action taken against the complained speaker(s) and organisation(s), if any, and urge them to act on the same if no action has been already initiated.
Details of the incidents
Kolkata, West Bengal
An Uttarakhand resident, Gautam Khattar, delivered a communal speech between April 5-7 at the National Yuva Conclave-2024 event organised by Friends of Tribals Society at Acharya Mahapragya Mahashraman Education & Research Foundation (AMMERF), Newtown, Kolkata. Through his speech, he propagated fake conspiracy theories about religious conversion, promoted enmity between Muslims, Christians and Hindus, accused Muslim and Christian citizens of proselytisation, and also advocated Hindus to take up arms. He further engaged in fearmongering by saying that Muslims of the country are on a mission to make India into Islamic State and termed them terrorists.
In this case, we sent our complaint to Shri Mukesh (Commissioner, Bidhannagar City Police) and Sharad Kumar Dwivedi (Collector and DM, North 24 Parganas) on July 12.
Excerpt from the speech can be found below:
“Lord Ram holds bow and arrow, Lord Krishna has Sudarshan Chakra (discus), Veer Hanuman wields Gadda (mace), Shiva has Trishul (trident) in his hands, Jagadamba and Maharana Pratap holds Bhalla (spear), your ancestors are trying to convey a message but you are not understanding it, their Madrasas hoard weapons and you have iPhone worth 1 lakh in your hands but you do not possess a weapon – this is why our daughters’ respect and dignity is time and again snatched away by Jihadis but we still do not open our eyes.”
“…if only 100 out of 7 lakhs Kashmiri Pandits had picked up weapons, we would not have had a flag of Pakistan on our soil. But none of us took up arms that is why I am telling study the sacred texts but also keep weapons alongside. Islam says that sword should be placed on a person’s neck if they do not believe in the Prophet – you force them through fear and might of sword to wear Salwar…Their Quran instructs to cut off the head of idol-worshippers and whose who do not believe in Allah and the Prophet.”
“…we talk about Ram Rajya and Hindu Rashtra, but mind you, they will make Islamic State, because they don’t just limit themselves to slogans and speeches, every son of a Muslim go to Madrasa, and therefore it is easier for them to make Islamic State.”
“Isa Messiah (Jesus) says in the Bible that do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the Earth, I did not come to bring peace but sword, I have come to turn man against his father, a daughter against his mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law, man’s enemy will be the member of his own household– who is telling this? I am not telling this; it is Isha Messiah who is telling this…These are not Isais but butchers of your neck…and there is no need to bow down your heads on the tombs of terrorists (Aatankvaadi)…Stop going to the cemeteries of Pirs.”
Copy of the complaint can be found here:
Vapi, Valsad, Gujarat
The hate speech targeting Muslims had been delivered by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader on May 26 at the event organised by Vishwa Hindu Parishad in Vapi, Valsad. Through his speech, he propagated disinformation and spread fake conspiracy theories about Love Jihad and religious conversion, promoted enmity between Muslims and Hindus, repeatedly eulogised extreme violence, and incited the audience by communalising the events of 1992 Babri Masjid Demolition and 2002 Gujarat violence. He also advocated boycott of Muslim shops and owners. Furthermore, his speech infantilises women, promotes misogyny, moral policing, vigilantism, and incites hatred between different religious groups.
In this case, we sent our complaint to Dr. Karanraj Vaghela (Superintendent of Police, Valsad) and Aayush Sanjeev Oak (Collector and DM, Valsad) on July 16.
Excerpt from the speech can be found below:
“…If one Hindu is beaten up, many Muslims will be beaten up in ten villages, when this sentiment is ignited then no Hindu community will be ever attacked…We must also raise awareness about love jihad in the society; in colleges, schools, other places, organising seminars, teaching people; we must create such an environment that she never actually leaves…Not even one girl should become a victim of love jihad, none of our sisters, irrespective of their caste or class status, whether rich or poor, every Hindu sister is my sister, and I have a duty to protect her – this sentiment must always prevail in our minds.”
“There will be tit for tat…in riots Hindus were killed but we slowly started responding back, I will give two examples – In 1992, the whole country went to Ayodhya, at that time nobody was allowed to do Kar Seva (devotional service), angry people in turn moved atop the dome and that mosque which was a symbol of disrespect was brought down manually by the people within 6 hours. The mosque was completely dismantled and a small temple was created there in its place. Thereafter, the country witnessed riots, for the first two days Hindus were slaughtered, but later, Hindus showed their might. As a result, those riots killed some 2000 people across the country, 600 of them were Hindus – who were the rest you can imagine – for the first time Hindus counterattacked, they sent a message that we won’t attack anyone, but if anybody attacks, we will teach them a lesson.”
“The second example is our Godhra…I still remember, in February 2002, Indian Express had put out one photo on the front page – seeing that photo I feel elated time and again – in that photo one Muslim youth was crying. For many years, Hindu was crying, for the first time seeing a picture of a Muslim youth crying made me happy because entire Gujarat responded back, and not only Gujarat but the whole country witnessed a sentiment of bravery.”
“I went to Jodhpur, I had to cut my hair but none of the three shops I went to were run by a Hindu…I was surprised but finally with the Karyakartas’ help I found the sixth shop which was (run by) Hindu. These things are happening across the country, wherever Hindus are not there, we should develop a feeling to gradually dominate such businesses.”
Copy of the complaint can be found here:
Purnia, Bihar
A hate spewing speech had been delivered by the Antarrashtriya Hindu Parishad speaker on June 4 at the event organised by Antarrashtriya Hindu Parishad-National Bajrang Dal in Purnia, Bihar. Through the speech, the speaker advocated violence, derogatorily referred to Muslims as circumcised, and further threatened to cut them to pieces.
In this case, we sent our complaint to Upendra Nath Verma (Superintendent of Police, Purnia) and Kundan Kumar (Collector and DM, Purnia) on July 16.
Excerpt from the speech can be found below:
“Would any Muslim dare to run away with our daughters? They are already circumcised, but we will cut them from top to bottom.”
Copy of the complaint can be found here:
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