Delhi-Haridwar Hate Speech Row: SC Agrees to hear PIL for action Against the participants at Haridwar hate assembly
(Judicial Quest News Network)
The Apex Court on Monday agreed to urgently hear the PIL seeking criminal action against the hate mongers who had assembled in Haridwar and Delhi recently where genocidal calls for the Muslims were made.
The Court said that it will list the matter and hear it on urgent basis.
The plea filed by former Patna High Court Judge, Justice Anjana Prakash, sought directions from the court fro an independent, impartial and incredible probe into the matter by a special Investigation Team (SIT).
The matter was mentioned before Chief Justice NV Ramana by Senor Advocate Kapil Sibal who argued that SC needs to take cognizance of the matter.
“We are living in different times where slogans in the country have changed from “Satyamav Jayate to Shahtramav Jayate” Sibal said.
CJI immediately replied and said we will look into it. Is already some inquiry going on?
Sibla replied and said that some FIR has been booked but no arrest has been made.
The petition filed through Advocates Sumita Hazarika, MR Shamshad said that the speeches made at sensed pose a grave threat not just to the unity and integrity of our country but also endangered lives of millions of Muslims citizens.
It was highlighted how the video had gone viral on social media and in which a police officer was seen acknowledging the allegiance to the offenders.
Former Chief Justice of Allahabad High Court Justice Govind Mathur has welcomed the CJI’S decision to grant the listing of the petition.
He further said that “people’s faith in the constitution is necessary for the success of the Indian Republic, for various reasons, this faith has been shaken in the last few years. It may be due to weak leadership of every such institution or a part of a well-designed programme to do so”
Justice Mathur further said that the legislature is acting either as an obedient herd or like an unruly crowd without any quality to lead the people. The executive has developed all authoritarian tendencies. Citizens have hope from the judiciary when it was necessary to save the constitution and the system created by it.
He further said that a speechless, opportunist judiciary is the biggest enemy of the Country.
He hailed the present CJI Justice NV Ramana who has made efforts to repair the chassis of the judiciary and to allow lightning hearing of hate speeches at Haridwar.
The petition drawn by Advocate Ms. Rashmi Singh and Filed by Advocate Ms. Sumita Hazarika, seeks independent probe.
The petition has been filed against the Ministry of Home affairs, Commissioner of Police Delhi and Director general of police Uttarakhand.
Another petition drawn and filed by Advocate M.R. Shamshad Advocate Niaz Ahmed Farooqui places reliance upon the judgement of the Supreme Courtin Tehseen Poonawala Vs Union of India, where the Supreme Court passed elaborate directions to deal with mob crimes and Lynching. The petition also refers to the Lalitha Kumari case, which held that police have the mandatory duty to register FIR when a cognizance offence is revealed.
It is mentioned in the Petition that through these hate speeches, specifically when made against the religious personalities like Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) and Muslim community at large, the diversity of the country and peaceful co-existence of the followers of different religious beliefs comes under serious threat. The Petition further highlights how in view of the continuous attacks on the Muslim community at large, many violent acts have taken place in which many precious lives have been lost mostly of the people belonging to the weaker section of the society, majority of them belonging to the Muslim community.
(Story to be updated)
