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Synopsis

The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to stop the rallies being organised by the Hindu Janajagruti Samiti and Bharatiya Janata Party legislator T Raja Singh in the upcoming days in Maharashtra and Chattisgarh.

However, a bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta has directed the District Magistrates at Yavatmal, Maharashtra and Raipur, Chhattisgarh to take 'appropriate steps' after concerns were raised over potential hate speeches at said rallies.

The Police authorities have been asked to install CCTV cameras with recording facilities at the locations so as to identify perpetrators if anything untoward happens.

In November last year, Supreme Court had issued notice to the states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Nagaland and Gujarat and West Bengal over the non-appointment of nodal officers as ordered in the judgment of Tehseen Poonawalla vs. Union of India to curb incidents of violence and lynching.

Earlier, the Supreme Court had directed the Police authorities in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and UT of Delhi NCR to take suo moto action against those indulging in hate speeches as provided under the Indian Penal Code.

Notably, in October 2022, Top Court had directed the Police authorities in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and UT of Delhi NCR to take suo moto action against those indulging in hate speeches as provided under the Indian Penal Code.

Court had also lamented that the statements of hate speech put before it by the petitioners were very disturbing, especially for a country which is a democracy.

Case Title: Shaheen Abdullah vs. Union of India & Ors