Haridwar 'Hate Speech' Case: Supreme Court To Hear Plea Today Seeking Probe

On December 17, a 'Dharam Sansad' event in Haridwar saw a series of hate speeches being made targeting Muslims and calling for violence, triggering nationwide outrage.

The controversial event held in Haridwar (PTI)

New Delhi: The Supreme Court will hear a plea on Wednesday seeking an independent inquiry into the Haridwar 'Dharma Sansad' hate speech case and another similar event held in Delhi.

The petition will be heard by a bench comprising Chief Justice N V Ramana and justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli, PTI reported.

The petition, filed by journalist Qurban Ali and former Patna High Court judge and senior advocate Anjana Prakash, has sought a direction from the top court for an "independent, credible and impartial investigation" by an SIT into the incidents of hate speeches against the Muslim community.

On December 17, a 'Dharam Sansad' event in Haridwar saw a series of hate speeches being made targeting Muslims and calling for violence and assassination, triggering a nationwide outrage.

READ | SIT To Probe Dharma Sansad ‘Hate Speech’ Case. Garhwal DIG Assures 'Appropriate Action'

Hate speeches were also made at an event held in Delhi by 'Hindu Yuva Vahini' on December 21.

On Monday, the Supreme Court had taken note of the submissions of senior advocate Kapil Sibal that no action had been taken against those who made the hate speeches despite registration of FIR by Uttarakhand Police.

"I have moved this PIL in respect of what happened in Dharam Sansad in Haridwar on December 17 and 19 (last year). We are living in difficult times where slogan in country has changed from 'Satyamev Jayate' to 'Shastramev Jayate'," Sibal had said.

Kapil Sibal had said that no action would be possible without the intervention of this court.

The petition has also sought compliance of Supreme Court's guidelines to deal with such speeches.

The Uttarakhand Police filed the FIR on December 23 under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code against some persons, including Sant Dharamdas Maharaj, Sadhvi Annapoorna alias Pooja Shakun Pandey, Yati Narsinghanand and Sagar Sindhu Maharaj.

A similar complaint was filed with the Delhi Police for the event in the national capital.

A separate petition was also been filed in the Supreme Court by the Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind to ban anti-Muslim speeches and programmes like the 'Dharma Sansad'.

"Hate speeches and statements against Muslims have suddenly intensified in the country in recent times," the plea said.