Action must against Muslims for hate speeches: Right-wing bodies tell SC

Two right-wing groups have opposed a plea filed in the Supreme Court with regard to hate speeches against Muslims at religious events in Haridwar and Delhi. The petitioners have told the apex court that Muslims leaders should be instead arrested for their alleged hate speeches.

In their counter appeals, the two groups, namely Hindu Sena and Hindu Front for Justice, have urged the apex court to make them parties to the petition filed by Qurban Ali, a journalist and Anjana Prakash, a former judge of the Patna High Court, against the hate speeches given by Hindu religious leaders in Haridwar and Delhi.

Also read: Religious leader held for insulting women, not for Haridwar hate speech

Religious leaders who attended the two conclaves in December had called for the genocide of Muslims and use of arms to eliminate the community to establish a ‘Hindu Rashtra’. The statements drew widespread criticism, with over 76 Supreme Court lawyers urging the Chief Justice of India to take suo moto cognizance of the issue. Five former chiefs of the armed forces besides reputed bureaucrats and activists drew the attention of President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the incident, stating that such statements will paralyse the secular machinery of the country and dent the “unity and cohesiveness” of the men and women in uniform.

The counter-petitioners in their appeals argued that the speeches at the ‘Dharam Sansad’ were nothing but reply to alleged attacks on the culture of Hindus by non-Hindus and cannot be categorized as hate speech.

“Efforts are being made to scandalize the spiritual leaders of Hindus…The petitioner belongs to the Muslim community and is not supposed to raise objections against affairs or activities related to Hindu Dharm Sansad (sic),” they said in the appeal.

Vishnu Gupta, the president of Hindu Sena also accused AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi and Muslim leaders like Waris Pathan, of giving hate speeches against Hindus and said that they should also be arrested for their act.

In its appeal, the Hindu Front of Justice cited around 25 examples of hate speeches against Hindus and said the apex court should examine these the same way it is examining the hate speeches against Muslims.

Also read: SIT to investigate Haridwar ‘Dharma Sansad’ hate speech case

The Supreme Court on January 12 in notices to the Centre, Uttarakhand government and the Delhi police, had sought to know about action taken into the hate speeches.

Jitendra Narayan Tyagi alias Wazim Rizvi and Yati Narsinghanand, two of the speakers at the events, were arrested by Uttarakhand Police a few days later.