The Karnataka Assembly on Thursday passed the country’s first anti-hate speech law, which the BJP termed a “Brahmastra” in view of its “vote bank politics” against the opposition and media.
The Hate Speech and Hate Crimes (Prevention) Bill was passed in the House amid uproar by BJP MLAs, with the government citing Supreme Court observations against hate comments.
This bill has a provision for fine up to Rs 1 lakh and imprisonment up to seven years.
Home Minister G Parameshwara said that in case of repeat offenders, the provision of jail sentence of 10 years has been reduced to seven years. The bill passed by the Cabinet on 4 December was presented by Parameshwara in the House on 10 December.
According to this Bill, any expression, which is made publicly in words, whether spoken or written, by signs, by visual representations, through electronic communication or in any other way, with the intention of causing hurt, disharmony, feeling of hostility, hatred or ill-will against any person living or dead, class or group of persons or community, or to further any prejudicial interest, is hate speech.
Discussing the bill, Parameshwara said that the Supreme Court has taken a strong stand against hate speech and said that it cannot be tolerated.
He said hate speech and hate crimes lead to killings, create social unrest and corrupt the society.
The minister said that prejudices occur in the name of religion, language, disability, gender, sexual orientation, caste, creed, place of birth, tribe or place of residence. Parmeshwar said, “I think this law will bring a big change in the society.”
Opposition leader R Ashok said this law will turn the police into ‘Hitler’. This violates the constitutional provision of freedom of expression.
Even cartoons and photographs have not been spared. The BJP leader claimed that this would also attack the freedom of the press and curb digital freedom.
Taking aim at the ruling Congress, Ashok said, “There will be extortion on a large scale. There will be no bail under this law, only jail. What else can we expect from those who have imposed emergency in this country?”
According to him, all the offenses mentioned in the law are already present in the Indian Code of Justice (BNS), which is the new Indian Penal Code, but yet the Congress government in Karnataka has brought it.
“This is the Brahmastra (last lethal weapon) against the opposition. We will be the first to bear the brunt of the law and then the media will come. Ultimately, this is vote bank politics,” the opposition leader alleged.
He also said that there would be a need for more prisons in the state, “which the poor government cannot afford”.
Ashok warned the ruling Congress that this law is not good for it too and advised it to be careful while passing the bill. BJP MLA V Sunil Kumar wanted to know what would happen if a person quotes hateful material from a religious book.
In response to this, the Home Minister said that books published in the past will also come under the purview of this law. Sunil Kumar said that the minister is buying trouble for himself by citing the hateful material present in religious books.
Participating in the discussion, Urban Development Minister Byrathi Suresh claimed that coastal Karnataka is “burning” due to hate speech and hate crimes.
Angered by this statement, BJP MLAs from Coastal Karnataka like Vedavyas Kamath, Harish Poonja, Sunil Kumar and many others expressed strong objection and demanded an apology.
After this he went to the well of the House with his demand. Other BJP MLAs also followed him. Amidst the uproar, the House passed the bill, after which the House proceedings were adjourned.
