The Supreme Court on Friday directed the Centre to form a committee to look into the cases of hate speech, noting that there has to be harmony and peace between communities. The top court was hearing a case involving alleged blatant hate speech at rallies in different states, including Haryana, where recent communal riots left six people dead, calling for the assassination of members of a certain community and their social and economic boycott.
A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and SVN Bhatti asked Additional Solicitor General KM Nataraj, who was representing the Centre, to seek guidance and notify the bench by August 18 regarding the committee. "There has to be harmony and comity between the communities. All the communities are responsible. The problem of hate speech is not good and nobody can accept it," the bench noted.
What's the court ordered?
The top court further ordered the petitioner to compile all the documentation, including any videos, and submit it to the nodal officers designated in accordance with its ruling from October 21, 2022.
The application, filed by journalist Shaheen Abdullah, has referred to the August 2 order of the apex court which said, "We hope and trust that the state governments and police will ensure that no hate speeches irrespective of the identity are made against any community and there is no physical violence or damage to the properties."
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Court's directives came following Nuh violence
The apex court order came days after six people, including two home guards and a cleric, died in the clashes that erupted in Haryana's Nuh when a Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) procession or the Braj Mandal Yatra was attacked by mobs on July 31. Subsequently, Gurugram also witnessed stray incidents of violence.
(With inputs from PTI)
