Hate speech could be sullying entire atmosphere, agrees Supreme Court

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday observed that a plea on hate speeches against minorities in the country perhaps may be right in saying the entire atmosphere is getting sullied due to this type of public discourse.
The court’s observation and the direction came on a day when the Delhi police said it has filed an FIR against Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and other organisers of an event in Delhi where certain speakers allegedly delivered hate speeches.
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 including about the steps undertaken during the course of the investigation. “This kind of a petition, though as a citizen, perhaps you may be right in saying that the entire atmosphere is getting sullied as a result of these hate speeches and perhaps you have every justifiable ground to say that this needs to be curbed,” the court observed.
It said the affidavit be filed by October 31 and posted the matter for November 1.
In a separate case, the top court Monday asked the Uttarakhand and Delhi police to specify steps taken to curb hate speech on a petition filed by Tushar Gandhi alleging that the police chiefs of the two states were in contempt of SC’s 2018 judgment laying down detailed guidelines for preventing hate speech.
Referring to the hate speeches made at Haridwar and Delhi Dharm Sansads in December last year, Gandhi has sought initiation of contempt proceedings against the chiefs of Uttarakhand and Delhi police. A bench of Justices D Y Chandrachud and Hima Kohli asked the two departments to file affidavits explaining the factual position and steps taken with regard to alleged hate speeches. The bench requested attorney general R Venkataramani to formulate his views on the issue and posted hearing after four weeks.