The Supreme Court on Thursday, December 19, refused to hear a complaint alleging that the Uttar Pradesh administration and police failed to take action against far-right Dasna temple head priest Yati Narsinghanand’s Dharam Sansad which is being organised between December 17 and December 21.
The Dharam Sansad is currently organised by the Hindutva priest in Ghaziabad, UP.
A bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar told advocate Prashant Bhushan, representing the petitioners, to approach the Allahabad High Court. He pointed out that in earlier hate speech cases also, the Court had taken a similar stand.
However, the Supreme Court directed the UP administration to follow the guidelines on hate speech.
“Please keep track of what is happening, recordings of the event be there, the mere fact that we are not entertaining doesn’t mean there should be violations,” the CJI told additional solicitor general KM Nataraj representing the state.
A team of former civil servants and activists, including retired IAS and IFS officers Aruna Roy, Ashok Kumar Sharma, Deb Mukarji and Navrekha Sharma as well as former member planning commission and NCW chief Syeda Hameed and social researcher and policy analyst Vijayan MJ, filed a contempt petition stating such events which include hate speeches could lead to communal disharmony in the region. They pointed at the Dharam Sansad advertisements which explicitly mention anti-Muslim speeches.
They argued that the Ghaziabad administration and police failed to compile by Supreme Court’s orders to take suo moto cases against hate speeches.
Last year, the Supreme Court directed all states and Union Territories to register cases against those making hate speeches even if no complaint has been made. Action must be taken against those making hate speeches irrespective of their religion to preserve the secular fabric of the nation, the top court had said.
In 2021, Yati Narsinghanand’s Dharam Sansad, which took place in Haridwar, created a furore after the Hindutva priest delivered a speech filled with Islamophobia. Although he was arrested, Yati Narsinghanand was later released on bail.
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