Former Supreme Court judge PB Sawant, former director general of police and ambassador to Romania Julio Ribeiro and scientist PM Bhargava are among the prominent citizens who wrote to Chief Justice of India TS Thakur and other judges of the Supreme Court on Friday, urging it to take suo motu action against the “alarming and threatening statements” made by people “currently in powerful constitutional positions within the union government".

The letter referred to the allegedly inflammatory speech made by Union minister Ram Shankar Katheria at a condolence meeting for a murdered Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader in Agra on Sunday. It also includes references to other “shocking instances of hate speech” from ministers and elected representatives of the central government. The letter said that the country “was being pushed to the brink” by such statements, which have “caused fear and insecurity among India’s citizens”, especially minorities, Dalits and Adivasis.

The letter asks the Supreme Court to set up a commission to monitor and oversee “all such meetings” to prevent instances of hate speech. A similar appeal has also been made to President Pranab Mukherjee.

The other prominent signatories include Justice (retired) Rajinder Sachar, Justice (retired) BG Kolse Patil, Justice (retired) Hosbet Suresh, Iqbal Chagla (senior counsel), Cyrus Guzder (businessman), Dr Syed Zafar Mahmood (President, Zakat Foundation of India), Reverend Fr Dr Packiam T Samuel, Nandan Maluste (financial analyst), Janak Dwarkadas (senior counsel), Navroz H Seervai (senior counsel), Anil Dharker (senior journalist) and, IM Kadri (architect) and SM Mushrif (former inspector general of police).