Nuh violence: Delhi HC women lawyers forum writes to CJI to take action against hate speech videos
New Delhi, Aug 17: Delhi High Court Women Lawyers Forum Thursday sent a letter petition to the Chief Justice of India bringing his attention to the circulation of hate speech videos in connection with the Nuh violence and seeking to direct the Haryana government to prevent such incidents and take action against the offenders.
The letter petition, signed by 101 women lawyers, sought direction to the state government to track and ban videos that threaten to harm any community or places of worship or urge economic boycott of any community.
It said that the hate speech videos are circulating on social media which purport to have been recorded at rallies in Haryana.
"In light of the recent events that have occurred in the Nuh region in Haryana, a deep concern has arisen due to videos that have surfaced on social media of hate speech and incitement of targeted violence, that are disrupting peace and harmony in our society," the letter petition written to Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud said.
The women lawyers sought "urgent and expeditious" directions to Haryana to prevent incidents of hate speech and to take action against those who have perpetrated it, in violation of directions repeatedly issued by the Supreme Court.
The letter petition also referred to the recent suo motu cognisance taken by the Punjab and Haryana High Court which issued directions staying illegal demolitions by the state and expressed concern on whether the buildings belonging to a particular community are being brought down under the guise of law and order.
The swift and sensitive approach of the court has gone a long way in building confidence of citizens in the rule of law, it said.
"Despite such repeated guidelines and directions (of the Supreme Court), the unprecedented incidents of hate speech in Nuh and other districts, reveal a comprehensive failure on the part of the State Administration and Police to implement preventive measures, as well as, to have appropriate responsive measures during, and after, these incidents of hate speech," the letter petition said.
It said that unchecked hate speech in rallies and speeches not only carry the risk of inciting violence but also, foster and spread an environment and culture of communal fear, harassment, and discrimination.
The concern is magnified by the fact that the videos circulating on social media show individuals carrying arms in processions and chanting communal slogans in contravention of the Constitution, the Arms Act and the law laid down by the Supreme Court through its rulings, the letter said.
"Yet, there doesn't seem to be any verification of these videos, and action against persons indulging in such acts. This is a dangerous threat to social harmony and the rule of law in India. If allowed unchecked, it might be impossible to control this growing trend of hate and violence," it added.
The letter further said that as women, mothers, and officers of the court, "we feel a strong commitment to communal harmony, rule of law and with this sense of responsibility we have approached your Lordship for the following directions to the State Government".
Six people, including two home guards and a cleric, were killed in the communal clashes that first erupted in Nuh when a Vishva Hindu Parishad procession was attacked by mobs on July 31. The communal clashes later spread to Gurugram and some other places close to the national capital.
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.
Student found dead in hostel room in IIT Kharagpur
Kolkata (PTI): A 22-year-old M Tech student was found dead in his hostel room in the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, the second such incident reported on the campus within a span of 10 days.
The student, identified as Soham Haldar, was found hanging from the ceiling of his hostel room on Tuesday and he was immediately taken to the institute hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead, an IIT Kharagpur official said.
Haldar, a dual-degree student in Electronics and Electrical Communication Engineering, was a boarder of the Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya Hall of Residence on the campus.
Police from the Kharagpur Town police station have initiated a probe into the incident as preliminary findings indicated that it could be a case of suicide, though the exact cause of death will be ascertained following the post-mortem examination, the official said.
In a statement, the institute expressed deep grief over the student's death and said a detailed inquiry has been initiated.
The authorities have informed the family and are extending all possible assistance to them, it added.
Director Suman Chakraborty told PTI that the institute will strengthen the mechanism to identify stressed-out and depressed students and take follow-up steps to address their issues.
The grief-stricken parents of the student, who hailed from Barasat in North 24 Parganas district, have come to the campus and the authorities will speak to them, he said.
"Haldar's friends, faculty and staffers also could not gauge any stress or anxiety in him. But we need to enable students suffering from anxiety and extreme stress to open up their minds and do everything needed to prevent such incidents," he said.
Investigators are also scrutinising CCTV footage from the hostel premises to piece together the sequence of events leading to the incident.
The incident comes close on the heels of another student's death reported on April 18, when 21-year-old Jaibir Singh Dodia, a third-year Mechanical Engineering student from Ahmedabad, allegedly died after jumping from the eighth floor of the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Hall of Residence. That case is also under investigation.
The back-to-back incidents have once again brought the issue of mental health and student support systems at the institute into focus, especially in view of several such cases reported last year.
