Activists move SC over ‘hate speech’ allegations against Assam CM over now-deleted video

After AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi lodged a complaint with Hyderabad police demanding immediate criminal action against Assam Chief Minister Himanta Sarma for his “violent video” showing him “shooting Muslims”, a public interest petition has been moved before the Supreme Court accusing several holders of high constitutional offices of making divisive and inflammatory remarks, particularly against the Muslim community.

The plea alleges that such statements amount to a serious breach of constitutional duties and contribute to the spread of hatred.

Referring to comments made by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, among other senior ministers and governors, the petition contends that repeated targeting of a particular community erodes constitutional values and the responsibilities entrusted to those in positions of authority.

The petition has sought the Supreme Court’s intervention to address what they describe as a pattern of irresponsible conduct by public officials.

Owaisi, lodging a complaint with Police Commissioner VC Sajjanar against Sarma for his “deliberate and malicious acts of outraging the religious feelings of Muslims”, the Hyderabad MP accused the Assam Chief Minister of promoting enmity between two religious communities and making imputations which are prejudicial to national integration.

The MP posted on X that he had lodged a complaint with the Police Commissioner demanding criminal action against Sarma for “his (now deleted) violent video showing him shooting Muslims”.

“Unfortunately, genocidal hate speech has become a norm,” posted Owaisi.

He wrote the Commissioner that for the last several years, Sarma has been continuously making statements against the Muslims community through social media, print media, public speeches and other platforms. Many such speeches are still available in the public domain.

"In recent months, the said Chief Minister has deliberately intensified his hate speeches, with a clear and conscious intention to outrage the religious feelings of Muslims and to promote enmity and hatred between Hindus and Muslims, fully knowing that such imputations are prejudicial to national integration and destructive of communal harmony,” reads the letter.

Owaisi mentioned that a recent video posted by the official X account of the Assam Bharatiya Janata Party on February 7, which was taken down a day later but is still available on social media, depicts CM Sarma portrayed as armed with a firearm and targeting it towards persons very obviously depicted as Muslims, and shooting them.

"The said post and video with the imagery used in it and statements like 'point blank shoot' and 'No Mercy' is a deliberate and malicious act intended to outrage the feelings of Muslims, promote hatred and ill-will between religious communities and incite communal violence. The video was posted online and was available throughout India, including within the jurisdiction of this police station. I have viewed it within the jurisdiction of this police station,” he wrote.

Owaisi urged the Commissioner to take immediate and necessary legal action against Sarma as per the law.

(with inputs from syndicated feed)