CJI Chandrachud urged to take suo moto action against communal violence, hate speech
The Chief Justice of India, DY Chandrachud, has been urged to take suo moto notice of the spate of hate speeches resulting in violent hate crimes against the minority communities, and post haste pass orders instructing the Centre and state governments, as well as the police, to carry out their constitutional duties to protect the minorities, who are citizens of India and enjoy equal rights guaranteed by the Constitution of India
Bhopal: The Chief Justice of India, DY Chandrachud, has been urged to take suo moto notice of the spate of hate speeches resulting in violent hate crimes against the minority communities, and post haste pass orders instructing the Centre and state governments, as well as the police, to carry out their constitutional duties to protect the minorities, who are citizens of India and enjoy equal rights guaranteed by the Constitution of India.
“The Supreme Court of India must expressly order the police to act urgently and provide protection to minority communities, and prosecute hate mongers and those indulging in hate crimes. The SC must remind the police that they serve the constitution and not political bosses”, a group of prominent citizens, leading social activists, intellectuals and former judges said in a letter to the CJI Monday.
Similarly, the Modi-led NDA Government has also been appealed to stand by its constitutional commitments and publicly issue a statement condemning hate crimes and to immediately instruct all the state governments to implement measures to protect the minorities.
"The NDA Government must not forget that it swore by the Constitution before taking office. Thus, it is its bounden duty to provide protection to all citizens of India without prejudice or partiality", they said.
Those who issued the joint statement appealing for action against rising hate speeches and violent crimes against Minorities included Dr. G. G. Parikh, Medha Patkar, Tushar Gandhi, Fr. Frazier, Prof. Ram Puniyani, Dr. Sunilam, Shyamdada Gaikwad, Teesta Setalvad, Shabnam Hashmi, Justice Kolse Patil (Retd.), Irfan Engineer, Feroze Mithiborwala and Guddi.
In their letter, they specifically condemned the alarming increase in hate crimes against minorities, which have worryingly increased after the results of the recently concluded general election.
"Although the clear verdict by the Indian electorate was against polarisation and the divisive campaign of hate, the ruling NDA refuses to learn its lessons. The BJP leaders have loudly blamed the minority community for their defeat and as such are targetting them. The BJP leadership - right from the PM to state leaders, have fuelled hate against the minority communities and encouraged violent crimes targeting them", they said.
“This is a worrying trend, and we strongly condemn it”, they said.
“We appeal to the Leader of the Opposition to immediately raise this issue in the Parliament and issue a public statement condemning the increasing violent attacks and reassuring the minorities about their safety and security. The constituents of the INDIA Bloc and its leaders must also immediately speak out and mobilise their cadres and the citizens to defend the minorities by raising the issue in Parliament, in State Assemblies and on the streets of India. We must all unitedly defeat this divisive conspiracy”, the statement stated.
"Even though the electorate resoundingly rejected the rabid hate campaign indulged in by the Prime Minister himself, he continues to make provocative and unsubstantiated allegations against the minorities, thus fuelling hate crimes. His party’s devious design is to polarise the citizenry along religious lines. We stand united to defeat their nefarious conspiracy to divide our nation irrevocably along communal and caste lines”, they affirmed.
“As citizens of India, we assure our sisters and brothers of the Minorities that we stand with them in this hour of peril. The majority of the people of our nation stand with the minorities and thus, they need not feel isolated or abandoned in any way. We are morally bound to protect them and to provide them with security and well being. We will always remain committed to the principles of fraternity, inclusiveness and national unity as guaranteed by our Constitution. This we swear”, the intellectuals stated in their statement.
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