Swamy has indulged in hate speech: Govt

NEW DELHI: The NDA government has accused senior BJP leader Subramanian Swamy of promoting feelings of enmity and hatred between Hindus and Muslims in his book Terrorism in India, saying it contained “hate speech”.

Responding to Swamy’s petition challenging the constitutional validity of Section 153A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) that criminalises hate speech intended to incite enmity, the ministry of home affairs (MHA) told the Supreme Court (SC) that the provision was needed to deal with offences related to hate speech.

The government’s response comes at a time when intellectuals, writers and scientists are accusing it of promoting intolerance and creating an environment where minorities feel unsafe.

The MHA said if the provision was not retained, there may be riots or commission of offenses. “There may be disharmony and ill will among various classes of citizens of India,” it said.

According to the government, Swamy has indulged in hate speech through the book. “… its theme, its language, its innuendoes, the similies it employs and the moral of its story, if any — in order to ascertain whether the offending passages read in the context of the book as a whole fall within the mischief of Section 153A. The book to be considered in all its aspects as it contains matter which promotes feelings of enmity and hatred between Hindus and Muslims in India,” said the affidavit. Swamy has also asked the SC to restrain courts from proceeding with hate speech cases against him subsequent to writing the book in 2007.