VHP-BAJRANG DAL RALLY NOT BANNED, SC ORDERS POLICE TO PREVENT VIOLENCE

The top court also issued notice to the Haryana government to curb the crisis.

- ASHISH SINHA

The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to ban nationwide rallies of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal but issued a directive to the police authorities, urging them to prevent any violence or hate speeches during the rallies in different parts of Delhi-National Capital Region. The rallies were organised in response to communal violence in Nuh and Gurugram, Haryana. The top court also issued notice to the Haryana government, Delhi government and fixed next hearing on August 4.

During a special sitting at 2 pm to address an urgent application seeking ban, the VHP-Bajrang Dal rallies in Delhi-NCR, a bench of Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice SV Bhatti directed the Delhi Police and the states of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana to ensure that the rallies remain peaceful and that no untoward incident takes place. The Court also mandated the video recording of the rallies in sensitive areas to preserve potential evidence.

The bench highlighted that the Supreme Court had previously issued orders in October 2022 and April 2023, directing the police to initiate suo motu FIRs against hate speech crimes. They emphasized the importance of adhering to these orders and ensuring their implementation.