Maharashtra government on Friday assured Supreme Court that permission for the February 5 public meeting being organised by the Hindu nationalist group Sakal Hindu Samaj in Mumbai will be subject to the condition that no hate speech will be made by the participants.
The court was hearing a petition by Shaheen Abdullah seeking a ban on the proposed meeting on the ground that genocidal speeches against Muslims were delivered at a similar event organised by the Samaj on January 29 in Maharashtra.
A bench of Justices K M Joseph and J B Pardiwala recorded the Maharashtra government’s undertaking given by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who appeared for the state.
“We record the submission of the Solicitor General that if permission is applied for Sakal Hindu Samaj for holding the meeting contemplated on February 5, it will be considered, and if permission is granted, it will be subject to the condition that nobody will make any hate speech and act in defiance of law or disturb the public order,” the top court said in its order.
The apex court accepted Shaheen Abdullah’s lawyer Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal’s submission that police should invoke powers under Section 151 of CrPC if necessary.
According to this provision, the police officer knowing of a design to commit any cognizable offence may arrest, without orders from a magistrate and without a warrant, the person so designing, if it appears to such officer that the commission of the offence cannot be otherwise prevented.
Shaheen Abdullah also wanted the event to be videographed. The bench accepted this and directed that it should be videographed by the Sub Inspector of Police in whose jurisdiction it is held and the recording be made available to the court on the next date of hearing.
