The Gauhati High Court has issued a notice to Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma seeking his response to Public Interest Litigations (PILs) alleging that he delivered hate speeches targeting minority communities.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Ashutosh Kumar and Justice Arun Dev Choudhury also issued notices to the Union of India, the State of Assam, and the Director General of Police (DGP) during the hearing of the petitions.
The PILs were filed by noted Assamese scholar Hirendranath Gohain and others, who claimed that videos available in the public domain show the Chief Minister making “communal” and “incendiary” remarks. The petitioners alleged that despite the seriousness of the matter, Assam Police has not registered any suo motu FIR.
They have sought court directions to restrain Sarma from making such statements in the future, the constitution of an independent Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the alleged speeches, and a declaration that the remarks violate constitutional principles.
Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for one of the petitioners, argued before the court that the speeches reflected a pattern of repeated conduct.
During the proceedings, the petitioners pressed for interim relief to immediately restrain the Chief Minister. However, the bench observed that it would first consider the responses of the respondents before deciding on any interim order.
The court posted the matter for further hearing after replies are filed. It also indicated that issuing notice to the Bharatiya Janata Party was not required at this stage.
The case reached the high court after the Supreme Court of India earlier asked the petitioners to approach the Gauhati High Court instead of directly invoking its jurisdiction.
Further hearing in the matter is expected after the respondents submit their responses.
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