Court notice to YouTube, Facebook over Owaisi speech

A court here Saturday issued notice to YouTube, Facebook and a TV channel on a plea by a lawyer seeking permanent restraint on an alleged hate speech by Andhra Pradesh legislator Akbaruddin Owaisi, saying it was hurting the sentiments of various religious communities.

Advocate Amit Sahni told civil judge Vikrant Vaid that the alleged speech hate speech was being continuously broadcast by YouTube and it was hurting the sentiments of religious communities.

He sought a permanent restraint on the video, saying it was easily visible and accessible to every common man.

The court issued notice to YouTube, Facebook and 4TV channel and asked them to file their replies by June 5.

Sahni told the court that the video may lead to dangerous consequences in society and it was necessary for preserving peace as well as the secular character of the nation.

"The purpose of the video and contents thereof are in any case to mislead and misguide the innocent members of the Muslim community and to imbalance the religious harmony in the country for political gain.

"The defendants are continuously broadcasting the same, which is against the very secular fabric of the Constitution," Sahni said in his plea.

Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen leader Owaisi had delivered the controversial speech at public meetings in Nizamabad and Nirmal in the state Dec 8 and 22, 2012 respectively.

The speeches went viral on social networking websites and people lodged complaints with police and courts.

Followed by the complaints, Owaisi, a legislator from Chanrayanagutta in Andhra Pradesh, was arrested but later released on bail in January 2013.