Haridwar Hate Speech Row: SC Agrees to Hear PIL Filed by Ex-HC Judge, Journo

Rabid hate speeches, targeting minorities, were delivered by a number of Hindutva leaders at a three-day conclave.

The event, organised by the controversial Hindutva leader Yati Narsinghanand, saw multiple calls to incite violence against and kill minorities. Image used for representational purpose.

(Photo: Kamran Akhter/The Quint)

The Supreme Court on Monday, 10 January, agreed to urgently hear a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) which sought criminal action in connection with Haridwar’s Dharam Sansad, in which genocidal calls were made against members of the Muslim community.

The PIL was filed by former Patna High Court Judge Anjana Prakash and journalist Qurban Ali.

The Chief Justice of India, NV Ramana, has agreed to take up the matter.

Appearing for the petitioners, Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal — who mentioned the matter for urgent listing — said that the slogan of the country seems to have changed from 'Satyamev Jayate' to 'Shastra-mev Jayate'.

After Chief Justice of India (CJI) NV Ramana asked whether an inquiry was already going on, Sibal told the top court that though an FIR has been filed, no arrests have been made and without the intervention of the Supreme Court no action will be taken.

Previously, on 26 December, seventy-six advocates of the Supreme Court had written to Chief Justice of India, asking the Supreme Court to take suo motu cognisance of the matter.

The petition has been filed against the Ministry of Home Affairs, Commissioner of Police, Delhi and the Direction General of Police, Uttarakhand, LiveLaw reported.

Rabid hate speeches, targeting minorities, were delivered by a number of Hindutva leaders at the three-day hate conclave held in the pilgrimage city of Haridwar from 17-19 December.

The event, organised by the controversial Hindutva leader Yati Narsinghanand, saw multiple calls to incite violence against and kill minorities.

Five days after the conclave in Haridwar, on 23 December, the Uttarakhand Police finally registered a case against Wasim Rizvi alias Jitendra Narayan Tyagi and unnamed others under Section 153A of the IPC (punishment promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, etc).

Nearly two weeks after the hate speech, a second case was registered by the Uttarakhand Police naming ten persons – including former Chief of Shia Waqf Board Wasim Rizvi, Dasna temple priest Yati Narsinghanand, and Hindu Mahasabha general secretary Annapurna.

Others who have been booked are Sindhu Sagar, Dharamdas, Parmananda, Anand Swaroop, Ashwini Upadhyay, Suresh Chahwan, and Prabodhananda Giri.

What Had the Speakers Said?

Annapurna Maa, Mahamandaleshwar of Niranjani Akhada and General secretary of Hindu Mahasabha, had said:

“If you want to finish them off, then kill them... We need 100 soldiers who can kill 20 lakh of them to win this.”Annapurna Maa

Dharamdas Maharaj from Bihar had said:

"If I was present in the parliament when PM Manmohan Singh said that minorities have first right over national resources, I would've followed Nathuram Godse, I'd have shot him six times in the chest with a revolver."

Giving the motto of 'Shastra Mev Jayate' to incite armed violence against Muslims, Narsinghanand had said:

"Economic boycott won't work. Hindu groups need to update themselves. Swords look good on stage only. This battle will be won by those with better weapons."

(With inputs from LiveLaw.)