New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday pulled up the Uttarakhand government over the Dharma Sansad events as it asked the state's chief secretary to ensure that "no hate speeches are made" at the event to be held on Wednesday. The top official has also been asked to explain the preventive steps taken so far.
The top court warned that a religious conclave in Uttarakhand's Roorkee should not devolve into a typical hate-fest to target Muslims, as it also sent pointed questions to neighboring Himachal Pradesh over a similar event earlier this month.
"If the hate speech is not stopped, the [Uttarakhand] Chief Secretary will be held responsible. We will summon the Chief Secretary to the court," the judges said, asking the state's top bureaucrat to place on record that no "untoward statement" will be made at the 'Dharam Sansad'.
"Follow the Supreme Court's guideline regarding hate speech. Take all steps necessary to stop hate speech," they added, ahead of the event scheduled for Wednesday.
A three-judge bench headed by Justice AM Khanwilkar took note of the assurance given by the Uttarakhand government that authorities are confident that no untoward statement will be made during the event and all steps as per the decisions of this court will be taken.
Earlier this month, the top court had directed the Uttarakhand government to submit a status report on the progress of investigation into the alleged hate speeches delivered at a religious gathering in Haridwar in December.
The state government had sought more time to respond to the pleas filed by journalist Qurban Ali and a senior advocate Anjana Prakash in January. A notice was issued to Uttarakhand the same month.
A three-day Dharam Sansad held in BJP-ruled Uttarakhand's Haridwar last December had seen attendees give the vilest of hate speeches against Muslims, going as far as calling for their genocide, and brazening it out for days before the police registered any case making the first arrests.