By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
New Delhi: Taking cognizance of complaints filed, the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) has written to the Home Ministry on instances of hate speeches being made by members of the ruling BJP. NCM also issued notice to the MP Government on Garba ban for Muslims after the call given by Usha Thakur – BJP MLA.
NCM Chairperson Naseem Ahmed wrote, “I am writing to you to express concern of the National Commission for Minorities at the spate of hate speeches and inflammatory remarks by public representatives that are aimed at disturbing the communal harmony and peace in the country.”
Naseem Ahmed
NCM wrote to the MHA advising MHA to restrain people in responsible positions like Sakshi Maharaj against whom civil rights activists Shahzad Poonawala had filed a complaint, for “making irresponsible statements creating disharmony.”
Poonawala had pleaded to the NCM to take up issue of hate speech with the MHA and Govt of India.
Pointing that the Commission has already passed a resolution in this regard on 1st Sep 2014, the NCM Chairperson urged, “The incidents are only increasing and we have received several petitions against such vitriolic utterances. These statements are being made by prominent members of political parties and of the Parliament and violate the spirit of our Constitution as well as the Indian Penal Code.”
The NCM Chairperson particularly mentioned about the comments of Sakshi Maharaj associating terrorism with Madrasas and with Muslims, derogatory comments on Muslim with regard to Garba celebrations by Ms Usha Thakur MLA Madhya Pradesh and unfounded and and extremely offensive comments about Muslims by Yogi Adityanath, MP regarding ‘love jihad’ and riots being engineered by the Muslims.
The NCM Chairperson particularly demanded assurance from the MHA that the Government will take appropriate action against any act or speech that violates the provisions of Indian Penal Code and the spirit of the Indian Constitution. “The Government must demonstrate its unwillingness to tolerate any speech or action that is likely to aggravate communal tensions in any part of the country,” he said.