A group of ex-servicemen has filed a PIL in the Supreme Court seeking a new special investigation team to probe hate speeches delivered during a religious convention in Haridwar and Delhi in December.
Mysore resident and first petitioner Major General Sudhir G Wombatkere (Retd) said that the PIL was filed on Saturday and the other petitioners are Col PK Nair (Retd) and Major Priyadarshi Choudhary (Retd).
Wombatkere, who fought a war against Pakistan in the Sialkot sector in 1965, said in the petition that he was forced to approach the Supreme Court as the provocative, seditious and divisive speeches not only violated the country’s criminal law, but also went on strike. . Origin of Article 19 of the Constitution.
The petitioners submitted that such incidents, if unchecked, would adversely affect the solidarity of the Indian Armed Forces and would threaten national security.
The petition cited excerpts of hate speech in which speakers at the conference called on the police and the military to take up arms against minorities, and said it was particularly disturbing to the petitioners who had fought the country for decades. served in the Armed Forces. ,
“It is believed that such uncontrolled cries inciting violence against specific communities may have a serious impact on the morale and integration of soldiers in the armed forces, who come from different communities and religions,” the petitioners said.
The petition prayed that the court, exercising its extraordinary jurisdiction, constitute a new SIT to function under its supervision, on the ground that the existing SIT consists of low-ranking members of the local police who are under the aegis of the state government. work in. “In a matter of such public importance and influence, it is necessary that an SIT be constituted consisting of independent and highly placed officers,” the petition said.
Pointing out that the most definitive test by which a country was independent or not is the amount of protection enjoyed by the minorities, the petitioners said that the illegal speeches at the Haridwar and Delhi events are a threat to the constitutional values of the country. In addition to cutting a sorry figure for the country internationally.
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