New Delhi: While hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Harpreet Mansukhani Saigal, the Supreme Court of India observed a plea on hate speeches against minorities in the country. The plea observed a larger conspiracy of waging war against civilians through state-sponsored violence, turning India into a police state and victimization of a common man. The Court observed that hate speeches could be sullying the nation’s atmosphere by their type of public disclosure and therefore, it needs to be curbed.
In a separate case, the top court also sought responses from the Uttarakhand and Delhi governments on what action police have taken against those who made hate speeches at Dharam Sansads held in the state and national capital last year.
The PIL has arrayed 42 parties as respondents including centre, union home minister Amit Shah and prime minister Narendra Modi. A bench of Chief Justice U U Lalit and Justice S R Bhat asked petitioner H Mansukhani to give details of particular instances of hate speeches. The court further added that there must be a factual background for a court to take cognizance of a matter. The bench has now asked Saigal to file an additional affidavit giving details about crime in question and steps taken during investigation. The case will be listed next on November 1, 2022.