Ajit Pawar slams Shinde-Fadnavis govt over SC remarks on hate speech

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar slammed the state government over the Supreme Court’s remarks on hate speech and said many parties have repeatedly raised the issue. 

Referring to the mob violence in Aurangabad on Wednesday night, he also said attempts are being made to disturb the peace. 

The top court made strong comments during the hearing of a contempt petition seeking action against several state authorities, including Maharashtra, for allegedly failing to register first information reports (FIRs) against those who make hate speech. 

Pawar said, Yesterday, the Supreme Court called the Maharashtra government an impotent government. Isn’t it an insult to Maharashtra? A matter of shame for the (Eknath) Shinde-(Devendra) Fadnavis government? The Supreme Court has never uttered such words for any government.

We are hearing the contempt petition because states are not taking action in time. This is because the state has become impotent, powerless, and does not act in time. Why should we have a state at all if it is silent, the SC said.

The government should take the SC remarks seriously and those in power should introspect about why the apex court said so, he said. An immediate meeting should be convened on the issue, he said The Opposition has been raising the issue but the heads of the government do not like being told about it, he said. 

Earlier too, the court had pointed out that politics and religion should be separate. Precautions should be taken to prevent the spread of communal hatred and avoid situations that may lead to law and order problems, he said. 

Referring to the mob violence in Aurangabad on Wednesday night, Pawar said, Is this an attempt to create hatred between two communities? The police should inquire and find the mastermind. The police should work without any political pressure.