Haridwar hate speech: ‘They’re spoiling the atmosphere’, says Supreme Court

New Delhi, May 12

The Supreme Court Thursday expressed concern over the events like Dharam Sansad at various places which allegedly disturbed communal harmony.

“Before they ask to sensitise others they have to sensitise themselves first. They are not sensitised. This is something which is spoiling the whole atmosphere,” a Bench led by Justice Ajay Rastogi said.

It asked the Uttarakhand government to respond to a bail plea filed by Jitendra Narayan Tyagi alias Waseem Rizvi – an accused in the Haridwar Dharma Sansad hate speech case.

On behalf of Tyagi, senior advocate Sidharth Luthra the accused had been in custody for almost six months and he was suffering from ailments. The maximum sentence for the offence he was accused of having committed was three years only.

The complainant’s counsel opposed Tyagi’s bail plea, saying he was trying to send out a message that he was not afraid of the law.

Tyagi moved the top court after the Uttarakhand High Court dismissed his bail plea in March.

The case against Tyagi and others was registered on a complaint of Nadeem Ali, a resident of Jwalapur Haridwar at Haridwar Kotwali on January 2, 2022.

Ali alleged that the Dharma Sansad was organised in Haridwar by Hindu sages from December 17 to 19 and in the garb of this event, the participants were instigated to wage a war against Muslims. Objectionable words were used against the Quran and Prophet Mohammad, Ali alleged in his complaint, adding these provocative statements went viral on social media.