SC Seeks Response From Centre, Others On 'Dharma Sansad' Speeches Made In Haridwar, Delhi

An apex court bench headed by Chief Justice N.V. Ramana issued notice on the plea filed by journalist Qurban Ali and former Patna High Court judge and senior advocate Anjana Prakash.

Supreme Court. (File Photo)

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday sought response from the Central government and others on a petition  seeking a direction to ensure investigation and action against those who allegedly made hate speeches during two events held recently in Uttarakhand’s Haridwar city and Delhi.

An apex court bench headed by Chief Justice N.V. Ramana issued notice on the plea filed by journalist Qurban Ali and former Patna High Court judge and senior advocate Anjana Prakash.

They have sought a direction for an “independent, credible and impartial investigation” by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) into the incidents of alleged hate speeches, PTI reported.

Posting the matter for hearing after 10 days, the apex court bench also comprising Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli permitted the petitioners to give representation to the local authority against holding of future ‘Dharam Sansad’.

Specifically referring to the alleged hate speeches delivered between the “17th and 19th of December 2021” at Haridwar and Delhi, the plea has also sought compliance of the apex court’s guidelines to deal with such speeches.

The plea said that one event was organised in Haridwar by Yati Narsinghanand and the other in Delhi by ‘Hindu Yuva Vahini’ allegedly “calling for genocide of members” of a community.

The apex court had earlier on Monday agreed to take up a PIL seeking an independent inquiry into the speeches made during the recently held ‘Dharam Sansad’ in Haridwar allegedly inciting violence against minority communities.

A bench headed by Chief Justice N.V. Ramana took note of the submissions of senior advocate Kapil Sibal that no action has been taken against those who made the hate speeches despite registration of FIR.

Seventy-six lawyers had earlier written to the Chief Justice of India, requesting him to take suo motu cognisance of hate speeches allegedly made at separate events organised in Delhi and Haridwar.