Punish hate-mongers

INCENSED by the lack of appropriate action by the authorities concerned despite its orders, the Supreme Court has taken a stern view of the growing incidents of hate speech which have vitiated the atmosphere in our country that professes to be secular. Pertinently, the SC has directed the states to take suo motu action against the peddlers of hate or face contempt. This order is noteworthy in view of the authorities’ tendency to remain silent spectators till the victim or an activist moves the court against the perpetrators of hatred. This rap should goad the law enforcers — who have, generally, been exhibiting a propensity to crack the whip selectively in such cases — into punishing the guilty promptly and, thereby, sending a strong message of deterrence. The past decade or so has witnessed mounting evidence of members of minority communities being targeted or acted against with undue haste and disproportionate force, even as the majoritarian section seems to be enjoying a certain degree of impunity. This bias, triggered by the Hindutva-induced shift to the rhetoric of intolerance, has deepened the divisions and distrust among various communities.

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The SC has specifically asked Delhi, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh to act against such criminals. Credible investigations into the cases are crucial for protecting secularism — which assures the dignity of every individual and the unity of India — as enshrined in the Constitution. Parvesh Verma, a BJP MP of Delhi, is facing prosecution for imploring the Hindu community to boycott ‘these people’, a veiled reference to Muslims. Uttarakhand’s response to venom-spewing sadhus at a religious conclave in Haridwar last year remains tepid. The probe against a self-proclaimed monk who issued a rape threat to Muslim women in Sitapur, UP, too, needs to be expedited.

This attitude has, naturally, encouraged hate-mongers. Each one of them must be dealt with strictly. Fostering peaceful coexistence of the diverse sects and sections of society is crucial for India’s image globally, too, as its voice gains credence in diplomatic and geopolitical affairs.