Bill to prevent hate speech and hate crime tabled in Karnataka assembly
Belagavi (Karnataka) (PTI): The Karnataka government on Wednesday tabled the Karnataka Hate Speech and Hate Crime (Prevention) Bill in the state Assembly.
The bill has a provision for a fine up to Rs one lakh and a jail term up to 10 years.
The bill was cleared by the state cabinet on December 4.
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.
ALSO READ: MLAs demand funds, highlight bureaucratic apathy to Karnataka CM at CLP meeting
Any biases on the grounds of religion, race, caste or community, sex, gender, sexual orientation, place of birth, residence, language, disability, or tribe has also been categorised as hate speech.
The 'Hate Crime' has been defined as communication of hate speech, by making, publishing or circulating or any act of promoting, propagating, inciting or abetting or attempting, such hate speech, to cause disharmony or feelings of enmity or hatred or ill-will against any person dead or alive or group of persons or organisation.
Communicating hate speech has been defined as expression, made in public view, by way of verbal, print, publication, electronic means, or other means to convey such expression.
Whoever commits hate crime will be punished with imprisonment for a term which should not be less than one year, but may extend to seven years with a fine of Rs 50,000.
Further, for any subsequent or repetitive offences the punishment should not be less than two years which may extend to 10 years with fine of Rs one lakh.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Approval of registered housing societies must to operate liquor shops on their premises: Ajit Pawar
Nagpur (PTI): Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Wednesday said that shops selling Indian made foreign liquor (IMFL) as well as country liquor will be required to obtain mandatory consent from registered housing societies before commencing operations from the commercial spaces on their premises.
Pawar, who also heads the excise department, directed that this new policy be implemented across the state.
"Permission from registered housing societies will now be compulsory for both categories of liquor shops. The policy must be enforced uniformly throughout Maharashtra," Pawar told the Lower House of the state legislature while responding to a question raised by BJP MLA Shankar Jagtap, who represents the Chinchwad assembly constituency in Pune district.
Jagtap sought cancellation of licences of liquor shops operating in Chinchwad-Kalewadi area of Pune.
ALSO READ: Complaint filed against Tripura minister over 'fake' edu certificates, 'concealing' of criminal case
During the discussion, he said that Vikrant Wine, a liquor shop in Sahyadri Society, had begun operations in violation of norms.
The building was incomplete when permission was granted, and the licence had been issued on the basis of incomplete documents, Jagtap said, demanding action against those responsible.
Responding to this, Pawar reiterated the mandatory requirement of the respective housing society's consent for liquor outlets, and informed the House about the action taken regarding the two shops against which complaints had been received.
During the Budget session of the state legislature held in March this year, Pawar had announced that a no-objection certificate (NOC) from housing societies will be mandatory for liquor vends if they wish to migrate to their premises.
Many housing societies have commercial establishments, with some even having liquor vends.
