PIL in hate speech case seeks persecution of certain state governments: Uttarakhand tells SC

The Uttarakhand police has contended before the Supreme Court that a journalist and a former judge, who filed a PIL on alleged hate speeches, surprisingly chose to turn a blind eye to a similar event held at Raipur of Congress-ruled Chhattisgarh but sought orders for "persecution" of certain selected state governments as per their choice in the matter.

A written response filed on behalf of the state DGP submitted that the act of the petitioners is a "complete abuse of the process of this court and must be deprecated".

Notably, the PIL by journalist Qurban Ali and former Patna High Court Anjana Prakash and argued by senior advocate Kapil Sibal questioned the police investigation into instances of alleged hate speech made in Dharma Sansad organised at Delhi and Haridwar.

On Friday, the petitioners raised the issue of another event held at Una in Himachal Pradesh.

In its status report, the Uttarakhand police alluded to a Dharma Sansad held at Raipur in December, last, maintaining that the present petition, directed against it and Delhi, was "motivated" and should be dismissed with exemplary cost.

It also asserted the state police is committed to its duty and has taken action in case of hate speeches on the basis of complaints. It claimed the allegations of bias and improper investigation by the petitioners are totally wrong.

"The writ petitioners are neither complainants nor witness to any of the incidents alleged to have happened and have no locus standi to present a petition before this court," it said.

"The State of Uttarakhand is fully conscious of its constitutional obligations. When any offence is reported to have been committed, the State machinery takes full action without fear or favour and it does not lie in the mouth of petitioners to doubt the State's integrity in this regard," it added.

The police further accused the petitioners of rushing to the top court and making "reckless allegations" releasing the contents of their petition to the press to defame the state government.

On Friday, the Uttarakhand government counsel, for his part, said the police lodged four FIRs and filed a charge sheet in three cases. The police also said they arrested against main accused Wasim Rizvi alias Jitendra Narayan Singh Tyagi and Yati Narasinghanand Giri, who later got bail, and served notices to others.

Watch the latest DH Videos here: