SC asks Maha police to ensure no hate speeches at Hindu body's proposed event in Mumbai
New Delhi, Feb 3 (PTI): The Supreme Court asked the Maharashtra government on Friday to ensure that no hate speeches are delivered if authorities allow the Hindu Jan Akrosh Morcha to hold an event in Mumbai on February 5.
A bench of Justices KM Joseph and JB Pardiwala was told by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who appeared in the matter on behalf of the Maharashtra government, that the state undertakes that if the event is allowed to be held, it will be subject to the condition that "nobody will make any hate speech and act in defiance of law or disturb the public order".
The bench recorded Mehta's statement and asked the state government to ensure that no hate speeches are delivered at the event.
"We also direct that in case permission is granted and in case the occasion arises for invoking power under section 151 of CrPC, it shall be the duty of the police officers concerned to invoke the provision," it said.
The top court was hearing a petition filed by one Shaheen Abdullah, seeking the court's intervention to ensure that incidents such as one that took place at a January 29 meeting of the Hindu Jan Akrosh Morcha, where hate speeches were allegedly delivered against a particular community, are not repeated.
Appearing for the petitioner, senior advocate Kapil Sibal said police should invoke section 151 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), which empowers them to make arrests to prevent a cognisable offence.
Sibal sought the videography of the entire event and that a report be submitted to the court.
The bench, in its order, asked police to videograph the event and a file report to it.
It also asked Mehta to seek instructions about the January 29 event of the Hindu Jan Akrosh Morcha.
During the hearing, Mehta opposed the plea and accused the petitioner of selectively taking up causes, while claiming to be a "public-spirited citizen".
He said the petitioner is from Kerala but is concerned about a proposed event in Maharashtra.
"Now, individuals are selectively choosing a subject and coming to this court, saying ban this event in Uttarakhand or Madhya Pradesh or Maharashtra. Can this court be converted into an authority which grants permissions for holding events?" the solicitor general asked, adding that accepting the prayer to stop the event would amount to pre-censorship of speeches.
Sibal said at the January 29 event, grave statements were made by the participants, including a member of Parliament from the ruling party, and all this needs to be considered before granting permission for the next event.
The apex court had lamented on Thursday that nobody was taking action against hate speeches despite its orders and observed that it would be left "embarrassed again and again" if it is asked to issue further directions to curb such statements.
The strong observations of the court came when a plea seeking to prohibit the proposed February 5 event of the Hindu Jan Akrosh Morcha in Mumbai was mentioned before it for an urgent hearing.
Holding that the Constitution envisages a secular country, the top court had, on October 21 last year, directed the Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand governments to come down hard on hate speeches by promptly registering criminal cases against the culprits, without waiting for a complaint.
It had also warned that any delay on the part of the administration in taking action on this "very serious issue" would invite the court's contempt.
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Putin meets Iran's FM Araghchi, says Russia ready to do its best to help bring peace to West Asia
Moscow (PTI): Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Monday met Russian President Vladimir Putin, who hailed the Iranian people for fighting bravely and heroically for their sovereignty and said Moscow is ready to do its best to help bring peace to West Asia as soon as possible.
Araghchi, who held talks with Omani and Pakistani leadership before arriving in Russia, met Putin in St. Petersburg and thanked him for supporting Iran, state-owned TASS news agency reported.
"Russia is ready to do everything in its power to ensure that peace in the Middle East is achieved as soon as possible," Putin said during his meeting with Araghchi, which was also attended by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
Revealing that he received a message from Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei last week, Putin asked Araghchi to convey his "gratitude for this message and best wishes for his health and well-being."
He praised the Iranian people for fighting "bravely and heroically" for their sovereignty, Iran's state-run PRESS TV reported.
"We really hope that, based on the courage and desire for independence, the Iranian people, under the guidance of the new leader, will weather this difficult period of trials and peace will come,” Putin said.
He also stressed that Russia “intends to maintain” its strategic relations with Iran.
Araghchi said that the world witnessed Iran’s strength in countering the US during the recent war, and that the Islamic Republic is a "stable and powerful establishment."
"With their courage, the Iranian people succeeded in resisting the US aggression and will be able to endure it,” he said.
He said that it became clear that Iran has “great friends and allies” like Russia, and conveyed “warmest greetings” from Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian to the Russian leader.
Araghchi said relations between Moscow and Tehran represent a “strategic partnership at the highest level” and will continue to develop "regardless of circumstances."
"We are grateful to you for the solid and strong positions in support of the Islamic Republic of Iran," he said.
Foreign Minister Lavrov said that the talks between President Putin and the Iranian Foreign Minister were "useful and constructive."
Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov later said that Russia is "ready to provide any good offices, any mediation services that are acceptable to the parties."
"We will be ready to do everything so that ultimately peace ensues, guaranteed peace, and that there is no return to hostilities," Peskov was quoted as saying by TASS.
He was asked how Moscow can assist in future negotiations on the Iranian settlement.
Araghchi arrived in Russia after his whirlwind trip to Islamabad, which, according to him, was “very productive” and involved “good consultations" with Pakistan's Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, amid uncertainty over the second round of peace talks to resolve the war in West Asia.
"We held good consultations with our friends in Pakistan. The trip was successful. We assessed the outcome of our recent (meetings) and discussed in what direction and under what conditions talks can move on,” Araghchi said in a video posted on his Telegram channel upon his arrival in St Petersburg.
Referring to the second round of talks between the US and Iran to resolve the conflict in West Asia, Araghchi said: "Developments have taken place in the negotiations."
"Despite some progress in earlier rounds, the talks failed to reach their objectives due to the Americans' approach, the excessive demands they made, and the wrong approaches they adopted. Therefore, it was necessary to consult with our friends in Pakistan to review the latest situation,” Iran's official news agency IRNA quoted him as saying.
He said that the trip to Pakistan was a good opportunity to review developments related to the US-Israeli war against Iran, expressing confidence that “these consultations and coordination between the two countries will be highly significant.”
Araghchi arrived at St. Petersburg's Pulkovo Airport early Monday, where he was welcomed by Russian officials and Iran’s ambassador to Russia, Kazem Jalali, the report said.
The first round of peace talks between Iran and the US, held on April 11 and 12, failed to bring the desired result for the parties to the conflict.
The Iranian minister arrived in Islamabad for the second time on Sunday after a short visit to Oman, where he held talks with Sultan Haitham bin Tariq al-Said on security in the Strait of Hormuz and diplomatic efforts to end the Iran-US conflict.
After Araghchi left Pakistan for Oman on Saturday, President Donald Trump announced that US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner would no longer be going to Islamabad for talks with Iran, contending that Washington held all the cards on the matter.
Trump on Sunday reiterated that the US and Iranian officials can talk by phone for a peace solution to the conflict.
On Tuesday, Trump extended the two-week ceasefire with Iran indefinitely to give Tehran more time to prepare a unified proposal to end the war, just hours before the truce was set to expire.
The war began when the US and Israel jointly attacked Iran on February 28, killing Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several top commanders. The retaliation by the Islamic Republic extended the war to the entire Gulf region.
