Haridwar hate speech case: SC issues notice to Uttarakhand government, seeks reply in ten days

The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued a notice to the Uttarakhand government seeking its response to a petition seeking action against hate speeches at a conclave held in Uttarakhand’s Haridwar city last month, Live Law reported.

A bench headed by Chief Justice of India NV Ramana asked the state government to reply within 10 days.

Kapil Sibal, appearing for the petitioners, demanded that the case be heard next on January 17. He told the court that such events are also being organised in other parts of the country.

The court said that it will not hear the case on that date, but allowed the petitioners to draw the attention of authorities to such events.

At a “dharam sansad”, or religious parliament, held in Haridwar between December 17 and December 19, Hindutva supremacists had called upon Hindus to buy weapons to commit genocide against Muslims.

The petition has been filed by former Patna High Court judge Anjana Prakash and journalist Qurban Ali, according to The Hindu.

On Monday, the Supreme Court had agreed to hear the petition. Sibal had then said that the slogan of the country appeared to have changed from “Satyamev Jayate” (truth alone prevails) to “Shastramev Jayate” (weapons alone prevail).

The petition states that the speeches made during the event in Haridwar constitute extreme hate speech and…

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