SC issues notice to Uttarakhand govt in the Haridwar hate speech case

New Delhi: The SC has issued a notice to the Uttarakhand government in the Haridwar hate speech case.

The petitioners in the case pointed out that orders had been passed in earlier judgments to appoint nodal officers to take action against such gatherings. In this case, the petioners said, no nodal officer has been appointed. They said that the Supreme Court's orders were not being followed.

Senior lawyer Kapil Sibal, appearing for the petitioners, also said that more Dharam Sansads have been announced. "Something needs to be done before the next Sansad," he said.

Provocative and communal speeches were made against minority communities during a three-day "Dharam Sansad" or religious assembly held in Uttarakhand’s Haridwar from December 17 to December 19. Several Hindu religious leaders, who addressed the gathering, called upon the community to take up arms against Muslims as they gave a clarion call for a ‘Hindu nation’.

At the gathering, Yati Narsinghanand reportedly said that “arming the



Hindu brigade with bigger and better weapons” would be the “solution” against the “threat of Muslims.”

As many as 76 lawyers of the Supreme Court had earlier written to Chief Justice of India NV Ramana to seek suo motu cognisance to be taken of the 'hate speech' and calls for 'ethnic cleansing' at two religious events held recently in Delhi and Haridwar.

Sibal on Wednesday told the court: "This matter needs to be heard urgently. More Dharam Sansads have been announced in Una, Dasna, Aligarh at a time when the elections are going on in the state. This will vitiate the atmosphere. This is incitement of violence."

"Preventive detention law is there to prevent exactly such a thing," he added.

A three-judge Bench of Chief Justice of India NV Ramana and Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli heard the matter as a public interest litigation (PIL), demanding an investigation into the hate speeches targeting Muslims at the Haridwar Dharam Sansad.