LI Network
Published on: 18 August 2023 at 12:32 IST
The Delhi High Court Women Lawyers Forum (WLF) has addressed a letter petition to Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud, urging the highest court’s involvement in response to recent instances of hate speeches within various regions of Haryana, including Nuh.
In their letter, the WLF underscores the emergence of videos containing hate speech and instigations of targeted violence on social media platforms. To curb such incidents, the forum calls for directives to be issued to the State, emphasizing the importance of prevention.
Moreover, the WLF advocates for measures that track and prohibit videos that promote harm to specific communities or places of worship, or that incite economic boycotts against any community.
The allegations surrounding these speeches point to their endorsement of economic boycotts and various forms of abuse directed at particular communities, according to the plea within the letter.
Signed by 101 women lawyers practicing in Delhi and Gurgaon, the letter further requests prompt actions against individuals identified as responsible for hate speech.
“We humbly seek urgent and expeditious directions to the State of Haryana to prevent incidents of hate speech and to take action against those who have perpetrated it, in violation of directions repeatedly issued by the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India and to immediately track and ban these videos that amplify hate speech and create an atmosphere of fear,” the letter plea emphasized.
The letter petition also raises concerns over the public display of communal slogans and the brandishing of weapons by certain individuals.
“The concern is magnified by the fact that the videos circulating on social media show individuals carrying arms in processions and chanting communal slogans in contravention of the Constitution, the Arms Act and the law laid down by Supreme Court through its rulings. Yet, there doesn’t seem to be any verification of these videos, and action against persons indulging in such acts. This is a dangerous threat to social harmony and the rule of law in India. If allowed unchecked, it might be impossible to control this growing trend of hate and violence,” the petition asserted.
The letter plea commended the swift response of the Punjab and Haryana High Court in taking suo motu cognizance of demolitions carried out by State authorities in the wake of the Nuh violence.
In reference to the Tehseen S Poonawalla v Union of India and Others case, the plea reminded that the Supreme Court holds governments responsible for restraining mob vigilantism and mob violence through stringent measures.
“The Supreme Court has concluded the above judgment by emphatically noting that it is the duty of the State to ensure that the machinery of law and order functions effectively and efficiently to maintain peace, and to preserve our quintessentially secular ethos and pluralistic social fabric in a democratic setup, governed by the rule of law,” the WLF highlighted in its letter.
Consequently, the forum petitioned for the following directives to be issued to the State government:
(a) To promote an environment of dignity, liberty, and fraternity for citizens of all faiths within Haryana through programs that emphasize inclusion and commend acts of communal harmony.
(b) To adhere to Supreme Court directives that curtail incidents of hate speech.
(c) To monitor and restrict videos that pose threats to communities, places of worship, or that advocate economic boycotts.
(d) To promptly address individuals found accountable for engaging in acts of hate speech.
Earlier, the Supreme Court had denounced calls to boycott the Muslim community in response to the recent violence in Nuh, Haryana, deeming such actions unacceptable.
The Court’s stance was articulated while considering a plea to address appeals for the boycott and exclusion of Muslims following the communal violence outbreak in Nuh district, Haryana.