New Delhi: The Congress on Tuesday accused Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP chief J P Nadda and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath of creating “hate speeches” in poll-bound Karnataka and urged the Election Commission to place a ban on campaigning by them within the wake of Supreme Court orders on such speeches.
A delegation of Congress leaders comprising Ajay Maken, Vivek Tankha, Salman Khurshid and Pawan Khera met the Election Commission and gave them a memorandum demanding fast motion in opposition to such “hate speeches”.
“The home minister says such things which polarise the country and create division in society…, neither the Constitution provides for such a thing nor does the oath they take while assuming the high office. We have pointed this out to the Election Commission,” Tankha instructed reporters after the assembly.
He requested what the house minister meant by saying that “there would be riots in India if the Congress comes to power”. “Does he mean to say that the Congress is getting the riots done…The real thing is that people holding constitutional positions should not make such kind of hate speeches. It is against the law and immediate action should be taken against them as per Supreme Court orders,” he mentioned.
The Congress memorandum by AICC common secretary in-charge of Karnataka, Randeep Surjewala, mentioned it has clearly emerged after the successive rallies of three star campaigners of the BJP – Union minister Amit Shah, chief minister Yogi Adityanath and celebration president J P Nadda – that they’re first making unverified and false allegations and thereafter following it with malicious and deliberate statements concentrating on religions with the intent to advertise enmity between totally different teams.
“We reiterate our concern that this is a case of a well hatched criminal conspiracy to committing offences against public tranquillity, and offences relating to elections and offences related to criminal intimidation, insult and annoyance,” the memorandum mentioned.
It added that the sample has began adversely affecting the election course of and the inaction from this fee is furthering the agenda of making communal disharmony.
“We reiterate our request to this commission to ban Amit Shah, Yogi Adityanath and J P Nadda from all campaign activities till the conclusion of the election,” Surjewala mentioned within the memorandum. The opposition celebration has alleged that the BJP leaders are attempting to “scare, divide and mislead the society through ‘hate speech’ in the country”.
Khurshid mentioned, “We have made a complaint earlier but no action has been taken on our complaint yet.” “We have said that if there is no action against such people who hold responsible positions and repeatedly make such statements which amount to hate, then it will keep increasing and there should be an end to such speeches immediately. The EC has assured us that it will look into the complaints seriously,” he mentioned.
Tankha mentioned, “If constitutional authorities do not follow the law and the Constitution and will indulge in hate speeches, then neither the Constitution permits this nor does the oath that they have taken.”
What these three individuals have mentioned comes underneath the purview of “hate speech” and the EC ought to take motion in opposition to them, he mentioned, including that the EC has constitutional duty and there was concern and seriousness displayed by them in the course of the assembly.
“Home minister is a big position and is a protector of the country and should not be talking about riots like this,” Tankha mentioned the Congress delegation gave the EC copies of the Supreme Court order on hate speeches and referred to as for fast motion as per the legislation of the land and the SC verdict.
“We have made representations particularly in opposition to three individuals – Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP president J P Nadda and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
“We have urged the Election Commission to take action as per law against these people in the wake of Supreme Court orders which called for immediate action on hate speeches,” he mentioned.
The three BJP leaders have been alleging that “if the Congress comes to power, there would be riots” within the state, which quantities to hate speech as such speeches result in a division in society, the Congress leaders mentioned.
The Congress memorandum additionally mentioned the BJP has given commercials to unfold “false, unverified and malicious allegations” in opposition to the Congress with the intention to affect the voters in opposition to the celebration within the upcoming meeting elections in Karnataka.
“The Commission permitting publication of BJP’s commercials containing prima facie unverified, false and malicious allegations, whereas on the similar time disallowing INC’s commercials containing verified allegations and claims, clearly eliminated the level-playing subject that should be maintained by the Commission.
“In the interest of justice, equity, good conscience and for the sake of free and fair elections, we sincerely request this Commission to pass strictures against the BJP and its representatives to further issue directions to take down all political advertisements where the BJP has deliberately made false and unsubstantiated claims, direct the state authorities to register an FIR against the publishers, authors and representatives of the BJP,” the celebration mentioned.
Amit Shah had made remarks at a ballot rally in Bagalkot in Karnataka on April 25 and in Vijayapura, alleging that the state of Karnataka will suffer from communal riots. The Congress has already complained to the EC on April 28.
“The Commission may note the pattern, which is being followed by Mr Amit Shah, Mr Ajay Bisht (Adityanath) and now Mr J P Nadda. It may be reiterated that the BJP and its leaders first raise unverified and false allegations against the INC and its leaders, thereafter bring in malicious allegations which involve religion and which tends to promote or create enmity between groups on grounds of religion,” the memorandum mentioned.
Extending the scope of its 2022 order past three states, the Supreme Court had on Friday directed all states and Union territories to register instances in opposition to these making hate speeches even when no criticism has been made.
A bench of Justices Okay M Joseph and B V Nagarathna termed hate speeches a “serious offence capable of affecting secular fabric of the country”. The bench mentioned its October 21, 2022 order shall be made relevant irrespective of faith and warned any delay in registering instances can be handled as contempt of the court docket.
