Plea in Supreme Court against call for boycott of Muslims in Gurugram

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal mentioned the matter before a five-judge constitution bench headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, which is hearing petitions against the abrogation of Article 370, was about to go on a lunch break. -- Reports ETV Bharat's Sumit Saxena.

New Delhi:A plea has been moved in the Supreme Court against groups making a call for social and economic boycott of Muslims, after communal violence in Nuh in Haryana.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal mentioned the matter before a five-judge constitution bench headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, which is hearing petitions against the abrogation of Article 370, was about to go on a lunch break.

Sibal contended before the bench that there is a matter which requires an urgent hearing. He said something serious has happened in Gurugram, where a call has been made that "if you employ these people in shops, you will all be 'gaddars'". Sibal said a plea has been moved in connection with this matter and the court may examine it.

The application has been filed in a pending matter connected with hate speech. On August 4, the Supreme Court said that hate speech definition is complex and stressed that though there are verdicts of the apex court, the main problem is implementation and execution, and a solution can be found through collective efforts.

The apex court made these observations while hearing a plea against the rallies to be organised by Vishva Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal in Delhi-NCR region regarding the communal clashes in Haryana. A bench comprising justices Sanjiv Khanna and S V N Bhatti queried the parties whether the events were peaceful. Senior advocate CU Singh, representing petitioner Shaheen Abdullah, said no violence was reported, however, some hate speeches were made at the rallies.

The bench told Singh that the definition of hate speech is fairly complex and it has to be ensured that it does not transverse into the area of free speech. The bench asked parties to sit together to find a solution and explore the possibility of finding a solution to hate speech through collective efforts.

In October last year, the apex court had directed Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and Uttarakhand to take suo moto action against offenders without looking into religion while expressing concern over hate speeches in the country.