Mumbai: Opposition parties slammed the government on Thursday over the Supreme Court’s remarks on hate speech. The court on Wednesday made strong comments during the hearing of a contempt petition seeking action against several state authorities, including Maharashtra, for allegedly failing to register first information reports (FIRs) against people who make hate speech.
“We are hearing the contempt petition because states are not taking action in time. This is because the state has become impotent, powerless. Why should we have a state at all if it is silent?” the court said. Leader of Opposition Ajit Pawar and Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut took the government to task over the court’s statement.
Pawar brings up Supreme court's 'Maharashtra government impotent' comment
“Yesterday, the Supreme Court called the Maharashtra government impotent. Isn’t it an insult to Maharashtra? A matter of shame for the Shinde- Fadnavis government? The Supreme Court has never uttered such words for any government?” Pawar said during a visit to Nashik.
The state government should take the SC remarks seriously and those in power should introspect, he said. “Opposition parties have raised the hate speech issue several times but the heads of the government do not like being told about it. “Earlier too the court had pointed out that politics and religion should be separate. Precautions should be taken to prevent the spread of communal hatred and avoid situations that may lead to law and order problems,” Pawar said.
"Chief Minister of Maharashtra is acting like a slave," says Raut
“The Supreme Court’s observations need to be thought over,” Raut said. “At least we are not behind the SC observation. The SC is saying the state government is impotent, something people of Maharashtra have been saying since this government has come. The chief minister of Maharashtra is acting like a slave. He takes permission before every act. The government wants tension in the state. I express gratitude to the SC for pulling up the government,” he said.
Fadnavis says no order has been passed against the government
Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, however, said that no order has been passed against the government in the present contempt petition. “First of all, the SC has not made any observations on the state government. Despite this, the Maharashtra government showed what steps it has taken as of today in hate speech cases,” he said.
“The solicitor general brought to the SC’s notice what is going on in other states and how Maharashtra is being targeted on this issue. The SC had made general statements against all state governments. I feel people who are commenting don’t understand the court process,” Fadnavis said.
