Haridwar Dharma Sansad hate speech case: SC to hear plea seeking independent inquiry today

The Supreme Court will hear on Wednesday a petition seeking an independent inquiry into the Haridwar Dharma Sansad speeches allegedly inciting violence against the minority community.

A Bench headed by Chief Justice of India NV Ramana will hear the matter today.

Earlier on Monday, senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the petitioner, mentioned the matter for urgent hearing before the Bench. The petition was filed by former High Court judge and senior advocate Anjana Prakash and journalist Qurban Ali.

The plea sought the arrest and trial of people who made hate speeches, inciting violence towards Muslims, at the Haridwar Dharma Sansad conclave.

Sibal has said that the slogan of the country seems to be changed from 'Satyameva Jayate' to 'Shastrameva Jayate'.

"We are living in very dangerous times where slogans in the country have changed from Satyamev Jayate to Shashtramev Jayate," Sibal has told the apex court during the mentioning of the case. 

Sibal has said that the FIRs have been filed in the case but no arrests have been made. The hate speeches were allegedly delivered between December 17 and 19, 2021, in Haridwar by Yati Narsinghanand and in Delhi by 'Hindu Yuva Vahini'.

The plea said that the alleged hate speeches consisted of open calls for genocide of Muslims in order to achieve ethnic cleansing.

"It is pertinent to note that the said speeches are not mere hate speeches but amount to an open call for the murder of an entire community. The said speeches thus, pose a grave threat not just to the unity and integrity of our country but also endanger the lives of millions of Muslim citizens," the plea added.

It further said that it is relevant to note that no action has been taken by the Uttarakhand and Delhi Police in relation to the event held there despite the fact that open calls for genocide, that are available on the internet, were made therein. The plea also highlighted a video that had gone viral where a police officer was seen acknowledging his allegiance to the offenders.

"Not only the inaction of the Police allows delivery of hate speeches with impunity but also shows that the Police authorities are in fact hand in glove with the perpetrators of communal hate," it added.

(ANI)

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