Hate speech attacks individual dignity, threatens national unity. Examine
Speeches, writings, actions, signs that incite violence and spread disharmony between communities and groups are criminalised as ‘hate speech’.
Incitement to hatred primarily against a group of persons defined in terms of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religious belief and the like can be termed hate speech.
Characteristics
- Spewing venom
During hate speech, instigators accuse particular religion or community of wrongdoings and ask the majoritarians to target them.
- Instigate public
Public will be emotionally targeted to indulge in violence and act against a particular group. They will be asked to violate law and order.
Role of hate speeches in creating fissures
- Religious differences
The hate speeches are responsible for creating fissures between different religious communities. Groups will indulge in fight over petty issues, which may take a religious turn.
- Threat to law and order
People will be encouraged to take law into their own hand. This will be a serious threat to public order as authorities will have to handle the issue sensitively.
- Criminalization
Separate offences must be added to the IPC to criminalize hate speech quite specifically instead of other sections. This will give more powers to punish.
- Boycott from elections
Individual politicians, who are the major offenders, will have to be barred from contesting elections if they are found to have indulged in hate speech.
Thus, hate speeches need to be stigmatized so that individuals are discouraged from using it as a tool to win elections in the country.
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