Our Special Correspondent

New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) claims to be “a party with difference” adhered Indian culture and Hindu Ethos. Terence, love, care and kindness to fellow humans are the hallmark of Indian Culture. Hindu scriptures impart the essence of love and affection. The Hindu world order is based on the essence of humanity. Spirituality is the foundation of Hindu philosophy. But it is pathetic, the law makers BJP, the political party that swears by Hindu ethos and Bharatiya Samskriti (Indian Culture), outwits others in hate mongering.

A report from The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) says, out of 33 parliament members facing hate speech cases 22 are from the BJP.  To prepare the report, ADR had analyzed 4768 elected representatives (Member of Parliament- 763, Member of legislative assemblies-4005). “A total of 107 Current MPs and MLAs have declared hate speech cases. Sitting MPs with Declared cases related to Hate Speech is 33 of which 22 are from the BJP.”

As per the Law Commission Report No. 267 of March 2017 the following sections of IPC (Indian Penal Code) and RPA (Peoples Representation Act) deal with ‘Hate Speech’

153 A IPC penalises ‘promotion of enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony’.

Section 153 (B) IPC penalises ‘imputations, assertions prejudicial to national-integration’.

Section 295A IPC penalises ‘deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs’.

Section 298 IPC penalises ‘uttering, words, etc., with deliberate intent to wound the religious feelings of any person’.

Section 505(1) and (2) IPC penalises the publication or circulation of any statement, rumour or report causing public mischief and enmity, hatred or ill-will between classes.

Provisions under the Representation of the People Act, 1951

Section 8 disqualifies a person from contesting an election if he/she is convicted for indulging in acts amounting to illegitimate use of freedom of speech and expression.

Section 123(3A) and Section 125 prohibit the promotion of enmity on grounds of religion, race, caste, community or language in connection with election as a corrupt electoral practice and prohibits it.

Bhagavad Gita says “As a man contemplates sense-objects, attachment for them arises, from attachment, desire for them will be born, from desire arises anger, from anger comes delusion, from delusion, comes loss of memory, from loss of memory, comes destruction of discrimination, and from destruction of discrimination he perishes. (ध्यायतो विषयान्पुंस: सङ्गस्तेषूपजायते | सङ्गात्सञ्जायते काम: कामात्क्रोधोऽभिजायते || 62|| क्रोधाद्भवति सम्मोह: सम्मोहात्स्मृतिविभ्रम: |स्मृतिभ्रंशाद् बुद्धिनाशो बुद्धिनाशात्प्रणश्यति || 63||)

Ishavasya Upanishad teaches us “यस्तु सर्वाणि भूतान्यात्मन्यॆवानुपश्यति ।

सर्वभूतॆषु चात्मानं ततॊ न विजुगुप्सतॆ ॥ ६ ॥ (One who perceives in the Atman everything,

and in the same way Atman in everything,

does not hate). The same Upanishad further says, “Hatred hurts us far more than it can ever hurt those who have hurt us. Why? Because holding hatred in our heart is like holding burning coal in our hand constantly…. He who sees all beings in the Self itself, and the Self in all beings, feels no hatred by virtue of that wisdom.” 

Kautilya in Artha Sutras has said “Hate begets nothing but hate.”