New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday agreed to hear a petition that seeks to prohibit an alleged hate speech event conducted by Hindu Jan Aakrosh Sabha scheduled to be held on February 5 in Mumbai. A bench of Justice K M Joseph, Justice Aniruddha Bose and Justice Hrishikesh Roy said it will seek instructions from Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and subject to his approval post the matter for hearing on Friday.
The petition says that several rallies and events have taken place across the state of Maharashtra calling for economic and social boycott of the Muslim community. It further says that terms like "land jihad" and "love jihad" are being used to defame Muslims and communal tension has risen due to this. The court wasn't initially inclined to hear the matter.
"We are with you on this, but understand that the Supreme Court cannot be triggered every time there is a rally notified. We have already passed an order which is clear enough. Just imagine rallies happening all across the country. Every time there will be an application before the Supreme Court. How can that be feasible?" the bench asked.
The petitioners argued that an order regarding hate speech is already passed by the top court and they are asking for consequential and preventive action for the same. "If Supreme Court orders are defied, what is the remedy? Are you asking us to reiterate our order? Don't think that we are against you, but every time a rally is notified, you cannot trigger the Supreme Court into action," said the bench adding, "We have nowhere said that you can't hold a rally. We don't know what the contents and actions of the speeches are going to be."
