Punjab MP Vikramjit Sahney gives Rajya Sabha notice for anti-hate, digital harmony private bill

New Delhi, August 2

Rajya Sabha MP from Punjab Vikramjit Singh Sahney on Friday gave a notice to move a private member bill to seek a law for the containment of online hate speech on social media.

Sahney today submitted the bill titled ‘The Online Hate Speech Prevention Bill 2024’ with the objective to curb communal disharmony and religious hatred spread through social media.

Sahney said the bill proposed provisions to punish “a person who uses publishes, presents provides or distributes, performance of any speech on any platform which spreads, provokes, or arouses, religious enmity, hatred or denigrates a person by reasons of their religion, race, caste or community, sex, national or ethnic origin, language or disability.”

Persons who indulge in the above activities shall be guilty of an offence of hate speech under the proposed bill likely to be taken up at a later date.

Sahney said the current regulation of online hate speech falls under the outdated Information Technology Act, 2000, a framework established before the advent of social media platforms. He emphasised the urgent need for a new law to address contemporary challenges and protect the social fabric of the country.

He added the purpose of the proposed bill is to foster digital harmony and responsible use of social media.

“The bill aims to ensure all the fundamental rights, ensuring equal dignity for individuals and communities as outlined in the constitution, to uphold ethical values of harmony, respect and fraternity,” Sahney said adding that he has also submitted a dossier of social media posts and accounts that have been involved in spreading hatred to various officials.

Sahney noted that the police often encountered difficulties in handling such cases due to existing legal loopholes, as current laws do not adequately cover hate speech.

The bill, he said, proposed to fill these gaps and provide a more effective legal framework to combat online hate speech, ensuring a safer and more harmonious online environment.