Editor's Pick: SC seeks govt. response on hate speech issue

The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked the Ministry of Home Affairs and the police chiefs of Delhi and Uttarakhand to respond to petitions that people accused of delivering hate speeches at a Dharam Sansad organized in Haridwar have not been arrested yet. Delhi Police come under the Ministry of Home Affairs. The hate speeches were allegedly delivered between December 17 and 19, in Haridwar, by Yati Narsinghanand and in Delhi, by the Hindu Yuva Vahini, where the speakers called for the “genocide of members” of a community, the petitions stated. A bench led by Chief Justice N V Ramana issued the notice to the Government. The petitioners, former High Court judge Anjana Prakash and journalist Qurban Ali, had highlighted that “hate speeches consisted of open calls for genocide of Muslims in order to achieve ethnic cleansing. The speeches pose a grave threat not just to the unity and integrity of our country but also endanger the lives of millions of Muslim citizens.” Counsel for petitioners, Kapil Sibal, said if this court does not take quick steps, Dharam Sansads would be held in Una, Kurukshetra, Dasna, Aligarh and in States where the process of election is going on. The atmosphere of the entire country will be vitiated. No arrests have taken place. The court advised the petitioners to make a representation to the local authorities, making their apprehensions clear that speeches in these Dharam Sansad may run the risk of violating the penal law against hate and were against the judgements of the Supreme Court. Penal provisions in the IPC namely, 153 A and 153 B, criminalise offences characterised as hate speech broadly defined as promoting enmity between different groups and prejudicial to national integrity. The delay and failure to book the perpetrators of the speech runs the risk of tearing the social fabric of the country. Further with Assembly Elections under way in States, the potential to foment trouble is real. This is why The Hindu has led with the report on its front page. The Hindu Editorials Trust deficit: On tech platforms and news publishers Talking to Russia: On Putin and NATO Was this newsletter forwarded to you? Head over to our newsletter subscription page to sign up for Editor's Pick and more. Click here Try out The Hindu's daily news quiz Who is Kazakhstan’s current President? 1. Alihan Smaiylov 2. Alu Alkhanov 3. Nursultan Nazarbayev 4. Kassym-Jomart Tokayev To find out the answer and play the full quiz, click here. [logo] Editor's Pick 13 JANUARY 2022 [The Hindu logo] In the Editor's Pick newsletter, The Hindu explains why a story was important enough to be carried on the front page of today's edition of our newspaper. [Arrow]( [Open in browser]( [Mail icon]( [More newsletters]( SC seeks govt. response on hate speech issue [SC seeks govt. response on hate speech issue] The [Supreme Court on Wednesday asked the Ministry of Home Affairs]( and the police chiefs of Delhi and Uttarakhand to respond to petitions that people accused of delivering hate speeches at a Dharam Sansad organized in Haridwar have not been arrested yet. Delhi Police come under the Ministry of Home Affairs. The [hate speeches]( were allegedly delivered between December 17 and 19, in Haridwar, by Yati Narsinghanand and in Delhi, by the Hindu Yuva Vahini, where the speakers called for the “genocide of members” of a community, the petitions stated. A bench led by Chief Justice N V Ramana issued the notice to the Government. The petitioners, former High Court judge Anjana Prakash and journalist Qurban Ali, had highlighted that “hate speeches consisted of open calls for genocide of Muslims in order to achieve ethnic cleansing. The speeches pose a grave threat not just to the unity and integrity of our country but also endanger the lives of millions of Muslim citizens.” Counsel for petitioners, Kapil Sibal, said if this court does not take quick steps, Dharam Sansads would be held in Una, Kurukshetra, Dasna, Aligarh and in States where the process of election is going on. The atmosphere of the entire country will be vitiated. No arrests have taken place. The court advised the petitioners to make a representation to the local authorities, making their apprehensions clear that speeches in these Dharam Sansad may run the risk of violating the penal law against hate and were against the judgements of the Supreme Court. Penal provisions in the IPC namely, 153 A and 153 B, criminalise offences characterised as hate speech broadly defined as promoting enmity between different groups and prejudicial to national integrity. The delay and failure to book the perpetrators of the speech runs the risk of tearing the social fabric of the country. Further with Assembly Elections under way in States, the potential to foment trouble is real. This is why The Hindu has led with the report on its front page.  [underlineimg] The Hindu Editorials [Arrow][Trust deficit: On tech platforms and news publishers]( [Arrow][Talking to Russia: On Putin and NATO]( [underlineimg] Was this newsletter forwarded to you? Head over to our newsletter subscription page to sign up for Editor's Pick and more. [Click here]( [underlineimg] Try out The Hindu's daily news quiz Who is Kazakhstan’s current President? 1. Alihan Smaiylov 2. Alu Alkhanov 3. Nursultan Nazarbayev 4. Kassym-Jomart Tokayev To find out the answer and play the full quiz, [click here](. 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