The Karnataka Assembly on Thursday, Dec 18, passed the country’s maiden anti-hate speech legislation, which the BJP termed as a ‘Brahmastra’ against the opposition and the media with an eye on ‘vote bank politics’.
The Hate Speech and Hate Crimes (Prevention) Bill, which has a provision for a fine up to Rs 1 lakh and a jail term of up to seven years, was passed in the House amid din by the BJP MLAs, with the government referring to the Supreme Court observations against hateful remarks.
The Bill was cleared by the Cabinet on December 4, and presented in the House by Home Minister G Parameshwara on December 10.
According to the bill, any expression, which is made, published or circulated in words either spoken or written or by signs or by visible representations or through electronic communication or otherwise, in public view, with an intention to cause injury, disharmony or feelings of enmity or hatred or ill-will against person alive or dead, class or group of persons or community, to meet any prejudicial interest, is hate speech. While discussing the Bill, Parameshwara said the Supreme Court had come down strongly against hate speech, saying that it could not be tolerated. He said hate speech and hate crimes lead to murders, create social unrest and vitiate the society.