NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday asked the Maharashtra government to only allow rallies scheduled to be organised by Sakal Hindu Samaj in Mumbai on February 5 subject to the condition that “none will make any hate speech or disturb the public order.”
A bench of Justices KM Joseph and JB Pardiwala also directed for video graphing the rally and submitting the contents of the same.
“Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal points out that having regards to what has happened on an earlier occasion, the meeting may be held on the permission which may be granted and the same shall be video graphed and the same shall be presented to this court. We are inclined to accept this prayer as well. SG has no objection to the meeting being video graphed if it takes place,” the court said in its order.
The bench also directed the police to take preventive action to prevent hate speech if necessary. The court also asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta for Maharashtra Govt to also seek instructions with regards to the recent event organised by Sakal Hindu Samaj under the banner of “Hindu Jan Aakrosh Sabha” on January 29, 2023.
The plea had also sought for directing DGP, Maharashtra and other authorities to take adequate action. It was argued in the plea that a shocking number of children are also seen participating in these rallies and chanting hateful slogans against the Muslim community.
“The mass participation at these rallies being organized not just with the consent and knowledge of Government authorities but with their active participation, pose a serious threat to the very foundation of our nation as a secular nation. The hatred being taught and the radicalization of youth being carried out with such impunity will inevitably lead to communal disharmony and violence of an unfathomable scale across the country,” the plea stated.
The plea had also sought for directing DGP, Maharashtra to also explain the measures taken by them to stop the rally, further show the causes and the reason for such failure and also record the same and place the footage, transcripts and translations before SC.