Bench sets May 28 hearing; petitioners seek SIT probe, allege remarks may deepen social divisions
Guwahati: The Assam government has informed the Gauhati High Court that it will soon file its response to a set of public interest litigations accusing Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma of making alleged “hate speech” remarks.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Ashutosh Kumar and Justice Arun Dev Choudhury recorded the assurance and scheduled the next hearing for May 28. The court noted that the state’s affidavit would be filed “positively” before the next date and shared with the petitioners in advance.
The petitions, first heard on February 26, prompted the court to observe a “fissiparous tendency” in the matter while issuing notices to the Chief Minister, the Centre, the state government and the Director General of Police.
Filed by prominent individuals, including Sahitya Akademi awardee Hiren Gohain, former DGP Harekrishna Deka and journalist Paresh Malakar, along with political parties such as the CPI and CPI(M), the pleas allege that certain remarks could aggravate communal tensions.
Petitioners argue that the statements may encourage discrimination and social division, stating that the Chief Minister had “directed party members to file complaints against Bengali-origin Muslims… causing harassment.” They have also called for a Special Investigation Team led by a retired High Court judge, pointing out that “no suo motu FIR has been registered” despite widespread circulation of the speeches.
Earlier, the Supreme Court of India declined to hear similar pleas and directed petitioners to approach the High Court.
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