HC seeks Centre’s response on plea to book Gandhis for ‘hate speech’

The Delhi High Court on Friday (February 28) issued a notice to the Centre, the Delhi government and the police, asking them to respond on pleas seeking FIRs against political figures, including Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, for allegedly making hate speeches.

One of the pleas by a lawyers’ group has sought lodging of FIRs against the Congress leaders as well as Delhi’s Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, Aam Aadmi Party MLA Amanatullah Khan, AIMIM leader Akbaruddin Owaisi and former AIMIM MLA Waris Pathan for allegedly making hate speeches.

A bench of Chief Justice DN Patel and Justice C Hari Shankar issued notice to the Centre, the Delhi government and the police on the petition by ‘Lawyers Voice’ which has also sought setting up of a special investigation team (SIT) to look into the alleged hate speeches.

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The court also issued notice to the Centre, the Delhi government and the police on three separate applications — by Sanjjiiv Kkumaar, Vishnu Gupta and Bhim Army chief Chandra Shekhar Aazad — who have sought to intervene in a petition moved early this week for lodging FIRs against three BJP leaders for alleged hate speeches by them.

Kkumaar, in his application, has sought FIRs against AAP leader Amanatullah Khan, Bollywood actor Swara Bhasker and radio jockey Sayema for alleged hate speeches by them.

He has also sought an FIR against activist Harsh Mander, who had filed the petition seeking FIR against the BJP leaders — Anurag Thakur, Parvesh Verma and Kapil Mishra for alleged hate speeches by them.

Kkumaar, in his application, has also urged the court to order the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to look into the riots in north east Delhi over the amended Citizenship law and the alleged hate speeches.

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Gupta, who runs an organisation called Hindu Sena, has sought FIRs against AIMIM leaders Pathan, Asaduddin Owaisi and Akbaruddin Owaisi, alleging that hate speeches by them surcharged the communal tension in Delhi.

Aazad, in his application, has sought an FIR against Mishra alleging that speeches by the BJP leader were “responsible for inciting and orchestrating” the violence in north east Delhi.

Besides that, Aazad has also alleged that police took no action on complaints made by people injured in the violence which began from February 23.

He has sought directions to the police to register FIRs on the complaints by those hurt in the violence, which has claimed 39 lives and injured over 250.

All the matters have been listed by the court for further hearing on April 13.