Plea in Delhi HC seeks action against political leaders over 'hate speeches'

A fresh petition has been filed in the Delhi High Court seeking action against several political leaders for allegedly making hate speeches and engaging in criminal activities. It also sought attachment of their properties for damage to public properties during Delhi violence.

The plea alleges that hate speeches were made by several political leaders of different political parties including Sonia Gandhi, Salman Khurshid, Waris Pathan, Asaduddin Owaisi, Anurag Thakur, Kapil Mishra, Sharjeel Imam, Tahir Hussain, Ishrat Jahan, and others.

The plea seeks issuance of appropriate writ/directions or order in the nature of mandamus and certiorari for appropriate action against the leaders under Sections 153-A, 147, 148, 149, 153-B, 120-B, 295-A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) along with Section 3 and 4 of Damage to Public Property Act.

The PIL moved by activist Deepak Madan seeks setting up of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to assess property damage in last month's riots in northeast Delhi. The petition also seeks to sell their property to compensate victims of the communal violence in the national capital. The matter is likely to be heard on Thursday, which is fixed for North-East Delhi violence related matters.

The petition states that due to the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, various Muslim groups were protesting against this Act at various places in Delhi. Since the passing of the amendment, leaders of various political parties started giving statements against the Amendment and gave hate speeches, which instigated the people who started raising anti-CAA slogans, the petition mentions.