Editor's Pick: The buck stops with govt. to end hate speech, says SC

The Supreme Court on Friday said the “buck ultimately stops with the government” to clamp down on hate speech and hate crimes, as they are offences committed on society. A bench of Justices K.M. Joseph and B.V. Nagarathna was hearing a batch of petitions seeking a curb on hate speech incidents across the country and action against the culprits. The remark came after Uttar Pradesh informed the court that it had registered 580 cases of hate speech in 2021-2022. Of these, 160 were suo motu registered by the police. Uttarakhand said it had filed 118 cases. “This [hate speech] is a complete menace, nothing short of it,” Justice Joseph said.”We would not have liked the government to come in at all, but in certain areas when religious freedom, harmony and orderly progress are gravely affected, it has to intervene…Today what are we fighting about? We have more important things to achieve as a nation – people are starving without jobs,” Justice Joseph observed. Justice B.V. Nagarathna was also part of the Bench. During the hearing, the court highlighted the problem of hate speech on television. It said TV channels and their anchors have become tools to peddle particular “agendas”, creating divisiveness and violent instincts in society to win their TRP (television rating point) wars. “We require a free and balanced media. But they are not balanced…We have got TV for decades now, but you [government] have not thought of anything for TV. Therefore, it has become a free-for-all,” Justice Nagarathna said. Asking whether any anchor has been “taken off air’ to send a message against triggering hate or bias on TV, the court said that “if freedom is exercised with an agenda, you are not actually serving the people but some other cause. Then you have to be dealt with.” Justice Joseph, who said he was speaking for himself, contended that he found it denigrating how TV channels resorted to “name calling”. He referred to the man accused of urinating on a fellow passenger in an Air India flight in this regard. “The type of words used against him… He is an undertrial. Please do not denigrate anyone. Dignity is also part of Article 21 (right to life),” said Justice Joseph. Additional Solicitor General K.M. Nataraj said the government intervened against the media only in “exceptional circumstances.” The onus was on the media to self-regulate and exercise prior restraint. Agreeing that hate could not hide behind the colour of any religion, the government was considering legislation and even “comprehensive” amendments to the Code of Criminal Procedure to address the issues highlighted by the court, he said. Last year, the Supreme Court had asked the police – particularly in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand -- to be proactive in dealing with hate speech by taking immediate legal action without waiting for a formal complaint. It was hearing a ‘hate speech’ case after a religious conclave in Haridwar. An editorial in The Hindu had pointed out that the court must do everything possible to nudge authorities to enforce the law against the propagation of hate. Was this newsletter forwarded to you? Head over to our newsletter subscription page to sign up for Editor’s Pick and more. Click here. The Hindu’s Editorials The first of the four: On the 2023 Australian Open Bound supremacy: On Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar’s remarks and the basic structure doctrine The Hindu’s Daily News Quiz The Easter Sunday terror blasts which killed more than 270 people happened in which year in Sri Lanka? 2016 2019 2020 2017 To know the answer and to play the full quiz, click here. [logo] Editor's Pick 14 JANUARY 2023 [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]( The buck stops with govt. to end hate speech, says SC The Supreme Court on Friday said the [“buck ultimately stops with the government”]( to clamp down on hate speech and hate crimes, as they are offences committed on society. A bench of Justices K.M. Joseph and B.V. Nagarathna was hearing a batch of petitions seeking a curb on hate speech incidents across the country and action against the culprits. The remark came after Uttar Pradesh informed the court that it had registered 580 cases of hate speech in 2021-2022. Of these, 160 were suo motu registered by the police. Uttarakhand said it had filed 118 cases. “This [hate speech] is a complete menace, nothing short of it,” Justice Joseph said.”We would not have liked the government to come in at all, but in certain areas when religious freedom, harmony and orderly progress are gravely affected, it has to intervene…Today what are we fighting about? We have more important things to achieve as a nation – people are starving without jobs,” Justice Joseph observed. Justice B.V. Nagarathna was also part of the Bench. During the hearing, the court highlighted the problem of hate speech on television. It said TV channels and their anchors have become tools to peddle particular “agendas”, creating divisiveness and violent instincts in society to win their TRP (television rating point) wars. “We require a free and balanced media. But they are not balanced…We have got TV for decades now, but you [government] have not thought of anything for TV. Therefore, it has become a free-for-all,” Justice Nagarathna said.  Asking whether any anchor has been “taken off air’ to send a message against triggering hate or bias on TV, the court said that “if freedom is exercised with an agenda, you are not actually serving the people but some other cause. Then you have to be dealt with.” Justice Joseph, who said he was speaking for himself, contended that he found it denigrating how TV channels resorted to “name calling”. He referred to the man accused of urinating on a fellow passenger in an Air India flight in this regard. “The type of words used against him… He is an undertrial. Please do not denigrate anyone. Dignity is also part of Article 21 (right to life),” said Justice Joseph. Additional Solicitor General K.M. Nataraj said the government intervened against the media only in “exceptional circumstances.” The onus was on the media to self-regulate and exercise prior restraint. Agreeing that hate could not hide behind the colour of any religion, the government was considering legislation and even “comprehensive” amendments to the Code of Criminal Procedure to address the issues highlighted by the court, he said. Last year, the Supreme Court had asked the police – particularly in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand -- to be [proactive in dealing with hate speech]( by taking immediate legal action without waiting for a formal complaint. It was hearing a [‘hate speech’ case after a religious conclave in Haridwar](. An [editorial in The Hindu]( had pointed out that the court must do everything possible to nudge authorities to enforce the law against the propagation of hate.  Was this newsletter forwarded to you? Head over to our newsletter subscription page to sign up for Editor’s Pick and more. [Click here]( . The Hindu’s Editorials [Arrow][The first of the four: On the 2023 Australian Open]( [Arrow][Bound supremacy: On Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar’s remarks and the basic structure doctrine]( The Hindu’s Daily News Quiz The Easter Sunday terror blasts which killed more than 270 people happened in which year in Sri Lanka? - 2016 - 2019 - 2020 - 2017 To know the answer and to play the full quiz, [click here](. Are you a book lover looking for your next literary adventure? Look no further than “The Hindu On Books” weekly newsletter! We scour the shelves to bring you the best new releases and hidden gems in all genres. With in-depth book reviews and recommendations, you can trust that you will find your next literary love here. Sign up now and discover your next favorite book!" [Subscribe Now!]( Today’s Best Reads [[The buck stops with the government to stop hate speech, hate crimes: Supreme Court] The buck stops with the government to stop hate speech, hate crimes: Supreme Court]( [[Joshimath sank by 5.4 cm in 12 days, says ISRO report] Joshimath sank by 5.4 cm in 12 days, says ISRO report]( [[International institutions require fundamental reform: Modi] International institutions require fundamental reform: Modi]( [[Braving a Viral Storm tells the tale of India’s COVID vaccine journey] Braving a Viral Storm tells the tale of India’s COVID vaccine journey]( Copyright @ 2022, THG PUBLISHING PVT LTD. If you are facing any trouble in viewing this newsletter, please [try here]( If you do not wish to receive such emails [go here](