Incitement to violence / Hate
No specific law against hate speech: Election Commission
Krishnadas Rajagopal SEPTEMBER 14, 2022 https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/hate-speech-took-action-under-provisions-of-ipc-rp-act-due-to-lack-of-specific-law-ec-tells-sc/article65889106.ece
The ECI said the Law Commission of India, in its 267th Report, (https://lawcommissionofindia.nic.in/reports/Report267.pdf ) had not made any recommendations with regard to a specific query (from the Supreme Court) on whether the ECI ought to be conferred with the power to derecognise a political party, disqualifying its members for committing the "offence of hate speech".
Neither did the Law Commission make any recommendations to the Parliament to strengthen the Election Commission to curb the "menace of hate speeches, irrespective of whenever made".
The ECI said the Law Commission had rest content by suggesting amendments in the criminal law to "penalise the offence of incitement to hatred and causing fear, alarm or provocation of violence in certain cases".
The poll body said hate speeches were "often interconnected with appeals to religion, caste, community, etc, during election campaigning.
It referred to several apex court judgments, among them the Abhiram Singh case, which had held that "any appeal to vote or refrain from voting for a candidate on the grounds of religion, caste, race, community or language by a candidate or his agent to the electors would amount to corrupt practice under the 1951 Act".
This judgment had been brought to the notice of political parties in January 2017. The parties were told by the ECI to desist from making hate statements. Hate speech and communal statements by candidates or their agents could be raised in election petitions.
Though the Model Code of Conduct had no "legal sanctity", the ECI said it had introduced guidelines in the Code asking parties to desist from making communal statements.
Hindu report in 2017: The Law Commission recommends two new provisions in IPC
The Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2017 suggested by the Commission proposes to add Section 153C (prohibiting incitement to hatred) and Section 505A (causing fear, alarm, or provocation of violence in certain cases) in the IPC and make the necessary changes in the Criminal Procedure Code.
The Commission defines hate speech as an “incitement to hatred primarily against a group of persons defined in terms of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religious belief and the like”. Thus, “hate speech is any word written or spoken, signs, visible representations within the hearing or sight of a person with the intention to cause fear or alarm, or incitement to violence.”
What did the Law Commission say about Hate Speech in its 2017 report?
BY BHARATH KANCHARLA ON SEPTEMBER 30, 2020 https://factly.in/review-what-did-the-law-commission-say-about-hate-speech-in-its-2017-report/ In many countries including India, the challenge with identification & codification of Hate Speech is to balance it with right to the Freedom of Expression that is guaranteed to its citizens. It is also important to ensure that the freedom is not put to indiscriminate use, especially by those who are powerful and thereby compromising and infringing on the rights of the disadvantaged communities.
https://scroll.in/article/832978/does-india-need-stronger-hate-speech-laws-the-law-commission-seems-to-thinks-so
Proposed amendments
The first would deal with an incitement to hatred. It says:
“Who ever, on grounds of religion, race, caste or community, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, place of birth, residence, language, disability or tribe –
(a) uses gravely threatening words either spoken or written, signs, visible representations within the hearing or sight of a person with the intention to cause, fear or alarm; or
(b) advocates hatred by words either spoken or written, signs, visible representations, that causes incitement to violence
shall be punishable with imprisonment of up to two years and/or a fine of up to Rs 5,000.”
The second proposed amendment would curb speech that causes fear, alarm or is a provocation to violence. It says:
“Whoever in public intentionally on grounds of religion, race, caste or community, sex, gender, sexual orientation, place of birth, residence, language, disability or tribe uses words, or displays any writing, sign, or other visible representation which is gravely threatening, or derogatory:
(i) within the hearing or sight of a person, causing fear or alarm, or;
(ii) with the intent to provoke the use of unlawful violence,
will be punished with imprisonment of up to one year and/or a fine up to Rs 5,000.”
The Other Side of Hate https://youtu.be/8fqPCl4J2pE?t=80 Sep 3, 2022
Revati Laul an independent journalist, filmmaker and the author of The Anatomy of Hate. She shares her experience as a social activist to heal the wounds of recurring episodes of horrific hate, and violence, which target people disadvantaged by caste, religious identity and gender in India. How India can strengthen the democratic process, the need to re-imagining social justice, and the new approaches required to fight against the atrocities of a majoritarian state.
Hate contains within it "fear" of not knowing what the other side is like. Insecurity prevents us from looking into it..
What made men become monsters in Gujarat in 2002? New book gives insight Dec 16, 2018 The Quint Journalist Revati Laul takes a close look at the mob that killed thousands during the 2002 Gujarat riots.
Revati Laul on Gujarat riots and The Anatomy of Hate https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HODDsT8gCHY Jan 31, 2019 The journalist and filmmaker’s recent book tracks the lives of three perpetrators involved in the 2002 Gujarat riots.
‘The Politics of 2002 Has Now Spread From Gujarat to the Rest of India’ Jul 2, 2019 The Wire गुजरात दंगों पर आधारित किताब ‘द एनाटमी ऑफ हेट’ की लेखिका वरिष्ठ पत्रकार रेवती लाल से द वायर हिंदी के कार्यकारी संपादक बृजेश सिंह से बातचीत.
The rise of hate speech in India | The Listening Post https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9ovHqv_k-g
Aug 6, 2022 India is at a dangerous moment.
The voices of Hindutva - Hindu supremacy - are ascending, spreading division and hate speech. It has worked its way through the body politic like a slow-acting poison. And the effect on the secular fabric of the Indian republic and the lives of minorities - especially Muslims - has proven toxic, at times deadly.
The harsh reality is that, it’s high time that religious people realised one basic truth – every religious text & tradition is offensive, blasphemous & heretical to the followers of other religions & sects – period! Thus the right to critique & the right to offend are an inalienable part of the right to religious freedom & free speech! In fact, ironically, this is more to the benefit of religious believers, than those who really do not have a strong religious belief system.
In our modern times, this ancient tradition of challenging Sanatan Caste hegemony, has been led by reformists such as Mahatma Jotiba Phule, Mahatma Gandhi, Ramaswami Periyar & Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar to only name a few. In today’s vituperative, volatile & highly polarised climate, their writings will be deemed as blasphemous and offensive by many. Thus a law that supports Blasphemy will prove to be highly damaging for the Dalit/OBC/Adivasi religio-cultural movements, as they challenge the dominant Manuwadi historical & religio-cultural landscape of Indian society.
Thus to simply just state that all religions share the same values, is just not true, never has been. Yes, there are certain fundamental commonalities, but there are certain fundamental differences as well. The various religions arose at different periods of humanity, in different regions and religio-cultural-socio-economic-political contexts, thus the teachings will differ, at times also oppositional, and so will the texts and scriptures.
On the other hand to only speak of mere religious tolerance too will not suffice. It’s not about tolerance, but acceptance. The time has come for people across religions to accept that apart from their own, there are other paths to salvation. That the path that we have chosen to walk along, is just one among the many paths that will lead humanity towards our collective salvation. Even as we each undergo that journey, let us continue to debate, critique & even offend each other, helping each other on our way………
12/06/2022
Read more
As such, it may expose those targeted to discrimination, abuse including violence, but also social and economic exclusion. When left unchecked, expressions of hatred can even harm social cohesion, peace and development, as it lays the ground for conflicts and tensions, wide scale human rights violations, including atrocity crimes.
Addressing and countering hate speech is, therefore, a necessity and requires a holistic approach, mobilizing society as a whole. Whether as members of States, the private sector, the media and internet corporations, faith leaders, educators, actors of civil society, those affected by hate speech, youth, or simply as an individual, we all have the moral duty of speaking out firmly against instances of hate speech and a crucial role to play in countering this scourge. https://www.un.org/en/hate-speech/impact-and-prevention/why-tackle-hate-speech
https://www.un.org/en/hate-speech/take-action/engage
Pause, Fact check, React, Challenge, Support, Report, Educate, Commit
- पैगंबर विवाद पर UN का भी आया बयान, जानिए क्या कहा ?
- "Government Should Say Enough Is Enough"
- The Time is Long Overdue: Hindus Against Hate
- Hate speech is violent in itself
- Hindu Mahapanchayat at Burari Ground
- Hate speech case: If said with smile, no criminality
- Ex-Armed Forces Chiefs Write To President, PM On Haridwar Hate Speeches
- What happened in Amravati shows a spontaneous reaction from Hindus
- Gujarat: Mob Chants Anti-Muslim Slogans, Opposes Hotel's Inauguration
- Prakash Jha Is India's Latest Filmmaker to Hurt Fragile Religious Sentiments
- We will resort to violence, if need be to protect Hindu Dharma
- Yogi Adityanath's provocative statements
- नमाज पढ़ रहे लोगों के सामने भीड़ ने लगाए 'Jai Shri Ram' के नारे
- Fight Hate with CJP
- Abdul Rehman inciting violence in Seelampur
- A Sant Who Threatens Suicide if Muslims, Christians Aren't Stripped of Citizenship
- Manohar Lal Khattar made controversial remarks that encouraged violence
- Maharashtra Clashes : Police Complaint Against Jignesh Mevani, Umar Khalid For Inciting Violence
- Anti-CAA protest
- BJP Alleges Umar Khalid Of Inciting Violence
- BJP Leader Kapil Mishra
- warning agitating farmers that he would discipline them in "two minutes"
- APPROACHES TO COUNTER ONLINE HATE
- Kamlesh Tiwari row Malda 3 Jan 2016
- Begalurut Mob violence.