CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat moves SC alleging hate speeches by leaders of Hindu outfits

leader Brinda Karat Thursday moved the Supreme Court seeking to intervene in a pending plea which has alleged "blatant hate speeches" calling for killing Muslims and their social and economic boycott were delivered at rallies in different states, including Haryana, where recent communal clashes claimed six lives.

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader and former Rajya Sabha MP has sought permission of the top court that she be allowed to intervene as a party in a pending petition filed by journalist Shaheen Abdullah on the issue.

Karat has referred to certain hate speeches made by leaders of religious outfits like Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal allegedly inciting people against the Muslim community in public meetings at some places including Nangloi and Ghonda Chowk in Delhi.

“That recently leaders of Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Bajrang Dal etc. have incited people against Muslim community in the name of Hindu Religion at public meetings held in various places in Delhi such as Nangloi, Ghonda Chowk etc,” the plea said.

People were instigated against the constitutional values and secularism in the name of Hinduism, it said.

“Such meetings are being held in different parts of the National Capital and there have been continuous calls for economic and social boycott of Muslim community. These speeches are clearly an offence under several Sections of the IPC...,” it said.

Unfortunately, neither stringent action is being taken against such people by the police nor are such meetings being stopped, it alleged.

While hearing the petition of Abdullah on August 11, a bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and SVN Bhatti had said there has to be harmony and comity between communities.

It had mooted the idea of setting up of a committee by the Director General of Police (DGP) of Haryana to go into the cases registered in the wake of the recent communal riots that erupted in Nuh before spreading to some other places and claiming six lives.

It had asked Additional Solicitor General K M Nataraj, appearing for the Centre, to seek instructions and inform it about the proposed committee by August 18.

The top court had also directed journalist Shaheen Abdullah to collate all material, including videos, and submit them to the nodal officers appointed in each state in pursuance of its October 21, 2022 judgement.

Abdullah had referred to the August 2 order of the apex court which said, "We hope and trust that the state governments and police will ensure that no hate speeches irrespective of the identity are made against any community and there is no physical violence or damage to the properties.” The application said despite the apex court's order, over 27 rallies were organised in various states in the aftermath of the communal clashes in Nuh and hate speeches were made.

"In a video that surfaced on social media on August 2, 2023 a procession by the 'Samhast Hindu Samaj' can be seen walking through a neighbourhood in Hisar, Haryana in the presence of police officials issuing warnings to residents/shopkeepers that if they continue to employ/keep any Muslims after 2 days then their shops will be boycotted," it said.

The petitioner has sought directions to the Commissioner of Police, Delhi and Director General of Police of Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana and other authorities to take adequate action and ensure such rallies are not allowed.

The top court had passed the August 2 order after senior advocate C U Singh, appearing for Abdullah, said 23 demonstrations were announced by Hindu Right groups Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal in various parts of the National Capital Region (NCR) over Haryana clashes.

Six people, including two home guards and a cleric, were killed in the communal clashes that first erupted in Nuh when a Vishva Hindu Parishad procession was attacked by mobs. The communal clashes later spread to Gurugram and some other places close to the national capital.