SC pulls up Delhi Police for saying no hate speech was made at Hindu Yuva Vahini event in December
Videos from the religious conclave showed journalist Suresh Chavhanke administering an oath to the attendees to ‘die for and kill’ to make India a Hindu nation.
The Supreme Court on Friday directed the Delhi Police to file a “better affidavit” in a case related to alleged hate speech at a religious conclave organised in the city in December by the Hindu Yuva Vahini, Live Law reported.
In an affidavit filed on April 14, the Delhi Police had told the Supreme Court that no anti-Muslim hate speech had been made at the event.
The police had made the submission even as one of the videos from the event showed Suresh Chavhanke, the editor-in-chief of television channel Sudarshan News, administering an oath to the attendees to “die for and kill” to make India a “Hindu Rashtra”, or Hindu nation.
At Friday’s hearing, the Supreme Court directed the Delhi Police to file a fresh affidavit by May 4. The bench of Justices AS Khanwilkar and Abhay S Oka will hear the matter again on May 9.
“We want to know that the senior officer has understood the nuances of other aspects before filing this affidavit,” the bench told the police. “Has he merely reproduced inquiry report or applied his mind? Do you want to take a re-look?”
The matter pertains to a public interest litigation filed by a former judge of Patna High Court Anjana Prakash and journalist Qurban Ali. The petition stated that between December 17 and 19, hate speeches were made at two separate events – one in Delhi and another in Haridwar.
In its affidavit, the police had said that an investigation into the videos of the speeches made at the event showed that the words used did not target any particular community.
“None of the words spoken during the event described overtly or explicitly Indian Muslims as usurpers of territory and nothing was said which could create an environment of paranoia against any religion,” the police had told the court.
On Friday, Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal pointed out that a portion of the affidavit stated that those attending the event had gathered to “save ethics of their community”, Bar and Bench reported.
“They say ‘we are ready to kill’ and the Delhi Police say it is to ‘save the ethics of the community’?” Sibal questioned.
Sibal submitted transcripts of the speeches made at the event, stating that he cannot read the speeches aloud.
Additional Solicitor General KM Nataraj said that the Delhi police will file a fresh affidavit in the case.