HYDERABAD: Telangana Assembly Select Committee on the proposed legislation to curb hate speech and provocative remarks held a meeting on Saturday in the Assembly Speaker’s chamber under the chairmanship of Minister for Transport and BC Welfare Ponnam Prabhakar.
The committee deliberated on several key issues, including the proposed hate speech bill and provisions relating to provocative statements. It is working towards submitting its report before the conclusion of the coming monsoon session of the Legislative Assembly.
The meeting was attended by Assembly Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar and committee members Danam Nagender, Madhusudan Reddy, Yashaswini Reddy, Kavvampalli Satyanarayana, Kova Lakshmi, Kunamneni Sambasiva Rao, and Manick Rao. During the meeting, Prabhakar once again distributed copies of the proposed bill to all committee members for further study.
Speaking to the media after the meeting, he said the committee would meet again within a week and members’ suggestions would be considered before finalising the report.
He said that the proposed legislation was intended to prevent hate speeches in the Assembly. The committee’s report, he added, would recommend a legal framework to address such speeches while safeguarding democratic values.
The minister said the committee would also seek suggestions from various political parties and eminent members of society before finalising its recommendations.