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A petition has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking appoint a new Special Investigation Team to operate under its supervision in order to investigate the hate speeches delivered at religious events organized at Haridwar and Delhi.

The petition has been filed by Retired Armed forces officers stating that "such incidents, if gone unchecked, can have a serious impact on the morale and integration of the soldiers in the armed forces who come from diverse communities and religions."

The plea has been filed in connection with a religious conclave called ‘Dharam Sansad’ organized in Haridwar, Uttarakhand. It is alleged that, in this event, "several self-proclaimed seers/sages delivered inflammatory hate speeches ostensibly targeting the minorities in India. In the videos circulating on social media, one can see blatant calls for genocide against minority communities. One of the speeches specifically calls upon the police and the army to pick up arms against the minorities."

The plea states that "The seditious and divisive speeches made violate not only the criminal law of the land, but also strike at the core of Article 19 of the Constitution of India. These speeches stain the secular fabric of the nation and also have serious potential to impact public order adversely."

Recently, a Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice of India NV Ramana had issued notice in another Public Interest Litigation seeking the court's intervention in alleged hate speeches delivered in Haridwar and Delhi. The court however expressed its apprehension on other similar matters and intervention applications being filed with regard to the same issue.

In addition to this 76 Supreme Court Lawyers have also written to the Chief Justice of India NV Ramana for taking suo moto action against alleged hate speech calling for the genocide against Muslims of the country.

The plea has sought for constituting a high level/ranking Special Investigation Team monitored by the Supreme Court.

Case Title: Major General SG Vombatkere & Ors Vs. Union of India & Ors