The Gauhati High Court on Thursday issued notices to Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, the Union of India, the State government and the Director General of Police on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) alleging hate speeches targeting Muslims.
The PIL was filed by noted intellectual Hiren Gohain along with two others, seeking court directions to restrain the Chief Minister from making statements that allegedly incite hostility against minority communities. The petitioners also sought registration of an FIR and a court-monitored probe into the remarks cited in the plea.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Ashutosh Kumar and Justice Arun Dev Choudhury issued notice on both the main petition and the application seeking interim relief. The court, however, did not pass any immediate restraining order and listed the matter for hearing after the Bihu holidays.
During the hearing, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for one of the petitioners, argued that the Chief Minister’s public remarks reflected a “consistent” pattern that allegedly violated constitutional principles of secularism and fraternity. The plea referred to multiple public statements, including remarks on “Miya Muslims” and comments linked to demographic concerns and what was described as “flood jihad.”
The petitioners contended that despite the availability of video recordings of the alleged speeches in the public domain, no suo motu FIR had been registered by the police, creating what they termed a “climate of impunity.”
The development comes after the Supreme Court of India recently declined to directly entertain similar pleas and asked the petitioners to approach the appropriate High Court.
The case will now proceed before the Gauhati High Court after the respondents file their replies.
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