Karnataka HC refuses expeditious hearing of hate speech petition against BJP leaders

Bengaluru: The High Court of Karnataka on Friday refused out-of-turn expeditious hearing of a petition seeking government action against BJP leaders, including Union Minister of State for Agriculture Shobha Karandlaje and Karnataka Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister K S Eshwarappa and others for alleged hate speech.

The court said the petition would be heard on its turn.

Mohammed Khaleelulla, the petitioner, has claimed in the petition that there ”being capricious and eccentric speeches spewing abhor, inciting hate against Muslim community in particular within the society by patriarchs and leaders holding authorities in the State and Central Governments,” action should be initiated against Eshwarappa, party leaders C T Ravi, former minister M P Renukacharya, Prathap Simha and Rishikumara Swamy (Kali Swamy), Pramod Mutalik, Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, Shobha Karandlaje, Tejasvi Surya, Sulibele Chakravarthy, and others.

The petitioner from Mandya, claims that these political leaders and private persons were making inflammatory anti-Muslim speeches creating disparity within the society and developing bitterness between communities.

The petition lists dozens of media reports and videos of the alleged hate speeches.

Apart from the Karnataka government law and home departments, the Union Ministry of Minority Affairs has also been named as a respondent in the petition.