‘Nothing will happen just by registering FIR, tell what action has been taken’, SC asks Center on hate speech

The Supreme Court, while hearing the matter of hate speech on Tuesday (March 28), said that to maintain communal harmony, giving up hate speech is a fundamental requirement. Along with this, the court asked the Central Government that merely registering an FIR will not solve the problem of hate speech, what action has been taken for this?

The bench of Justices KM Joseph and BV Nagaratna made these remarks while hearing the petition against hate speech. The top court also asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta what action was taken to register an FIR as mere filing of a complaint cannot solve the problem of hate speech.

Court’s remarks in the hearing of February 6

Earlier, during the hearing held in the month of February, the court had said that there is increasing consensus regarding hate speech and there is no scope for hate crime on the basis of religion in a secular country like India.

The court said, “There can be no compromise on hate speech.” If the state accepts the problem of hate speech, then only a solution can be found. At the same time, he also said that it is the primary duty of the state to protect its citizens from any such heinous crime.

A bench of Justices KM Joseph and BV Nagaratna said, “When action is not taken against hate crimes, an atmosphere is created which is very dangerous and has to be rooted out in our lives. No compromise on hate speech.” can be done.”

At the same time, in the hearing on February 20, the court had asked the Delhi Police to file a charge sheet in 2021 in a case of hate speeches given at religious gatherings in the national capital. On this, Additional Solicitor General KM Nataraj, appearing for the Delhi Police, told the court that the investigation of the case is in the advanced stage.