Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind moves Supreme Court for court monitored probe into hate crimes, hate speeches against Muslims

A petition has been filed before the Supreme Court seeking court monitored investigation into all hate crimes in the country and for action against hate speeches, particularly those targeting Prophet Mohammad [Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind &Ors. Union of India]..The plea filed by Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind and Islamic scholar, Maulana Syed Mahmood Asad Madani highlighted the hate speeches made against Islam and the hate crimes committed against Muslims in various parts of the country, contending how law enforcement agencies have not taken any action against such incidents despite complaints regarding the same."The entire administrative process and law enforcing agencies have either not acted to address the issue at all or they have taken some minimum ineffective steps....The police authorities failed to lodge first information reports (FIRs) on complaints made by several victims belonging to the Muslim community," the plea said..In this regard, the plea highlighted various instances including the recent Gurugram Namaz incident in which right wing groups prevented Muslims from offering Namaz at designated public spots in Gurugram."Not only were Muslims dislodged from those designated places and were deprived from performing their religious practices, in blatant violation of the State sanctions, the protesters adopted a unique way to occupy the said land by spreading 'Gobar' (cattle dung) on many of those designated sites of offering namaz," the plea said. Offering namaz is a mandatory religious obligation in Islam and stopping it violates freedom of religion, it was contended.Further, various religious organisations under the garb of protest against Namaz also made hate speeches against Muslims and attacked their very identity. .The petition also highlighted the incident of Tripura violence which started with derogatory remarks against Prophet Mohammad, it was submitted. "It led to general violence against Muslims and their religious places. A rally was organised by the locals who made inflammatory slogans especially against the personality of the prophet," the petition said..The petition further pointed out speeches made by Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati calling for genocide of Muslims.While no action was taken against Narsinghanand, the Uttar Pradesh Police booked about 100 Muslim persons who were taking part in a demonstration against the comments made by Narsinghanand, it was submitted.Similar such speeches by Suraj Pal Amu and the Jantar Mantar incident were also adverted to in the petition.The petitioners also referred to the comments made by Santosh Thammaiah against the Prophet in Gonikoppal, Karnataka, where he stated that “the intolerant creed preached by the Prophet had given birth to terrorists.” Further, one person died in police firing after Congress MLA Akhanda Srinivasa Murthy’s nephew made a Facebook post insulting the Prophet..The plea said such hate speeches have caused violence and lynchings on various occasions in the past."Through derogatory and provocative speeches, a religious community is attacked in order to compel them to abandon their religious practices. It is not a matter to be left to the administrative process of the country without holding them accountable," the petition contended..The petitioner, therefore, urged the Court to constitute an independent committee to compile all hate crimes in the country along with proper instructions regarding investigation for the same.