Top court slams ‘humdrum of politics’ in hate speech pleas

The Supreme Court on Tuesday said it was open to examining the larger issues of hate speech and the constitutional morality that ought to guide political parties and their leaders, but made it clear that it would not entertain “selective targeting” or allow such concerns to descend into the “humdrum of politics”.

- Utkarsh Anand

A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and justice BV Nagarathna and Joymalya Bagchi was hearing a batch of pleas filed jointly by 12 individuals, including former bureaucrats, academicians and civil society members, seeking guidelines to regulate public speeches by constitutional functionaries in the backdrop of alleged hate remarks by Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the petitioners, submitted that the atmosphere in the country was becoming “toxic” and urged the court to step in. “My Lords must do something about it,” said Sibal, arguing that neither the Election Commission nor existing mechanisms adequately addressed hate speech outside the Model Code of Conduct period, particularly on social media.

But the bench repeatedly expressed reservations about the manner in which the petition had been framed and made repeated reference to just one individual.