SC urged to hear plea on FIR against Assam CM over hate speech
SC urged to hear plea on FIR against Assam CM over hate speech
CPI(M) seeks urgent SC hearing on allegations that Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma made communal remarks, with petitions amid rising election-related litigation.
New Delhi: The Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Tuesday pressed the Supreme Court for an urgent hearing on its plea challenging a series of public statements by Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, alleging they targeted Muslims — even as the court cautioned against a rising trend of election-timed litigation flooding its docket. The petitions, filed by the CPI(M) and Annie Raja of CPI (Marxist), accuse Sarma of making communal remarks that could incite discrimination against a minority. They point to a video showing him allegedly shooting at members of a particular community, and say complaints have been filed but no FIRs registered.
The controversy centers on remarks in which Sarma allegedly referred to 'Miya Muslims' in Assam and suggested they should 'cast their vote in Bangladesh, not India'. Two days later, Sarma issued a clarification, saying the comments were aimed at 'Bangladeshis' and not Indian Muslims, and that his actions were intended to safeguard Assam's identity, security and future, rather than target any religion or citizen. Separately, he also urged citizens to pay Miya Muslim rickshaw pullers less, a comment he has defended since.
The CPI(M) condemned the remarks as 'highly communal and provocative' and urged the Supreme Court to take suo motu cognizance. The party argues that complaints are filed but FIRs are not registered, and calls for a decisive judicial intervention in the public discourse surrounding elections.
During a hearing, the Chief Justice of India Surya Kant cautioned that elections are increasingly fought inside the Supreme Court, as petitions pile up on the docket. He said the court would consider listing the CPI(M) plea urgently, signaling concern about the intersection of electoral politics and public statements by sitting political leaders. The developments come as other petitions related to alleged hate speech by Assam’s CM continue to draw attention ahead of the polls, underscoring the ongoing debate over where free speech ends and where communal incitement begins.
