Day after hate speech FIRs, Delhi Police say more names could be added

Police filed two first information reports (FIRs) on Wednesday, one naming suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma, and another naming 32 people – including former BJP spokesperson Naveen Jindal, journalist Saba Naqvi, politician Asaduddin Owaisi, priest Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati, and Jharkhand minister Hafizul Hasan Ansari, among others.

Delhi Police didn’t limit itself to the controversy over former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokespersons’ comments about Prophet Mohammed but looked at alleged inflammatory speeches made over the past few months on social media and television while booking 33 people for alleged hate speech, senior officials said on Thursday.

People shout slogans as they hold placards during a protest demanding the arrest of Nupur Sharma for her comments on Prophet Mohammed, in Ahmedabad, on June 8, 2022. (REUTERS)

Police filed two first information reports (FIRs) on Wednesday, one naming suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma, and another naming 32 people – including former BJP spokesperson Naveen Jindal, journalist Saba Naqvi, politician Asaduddin Owaisi, priest Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati, and Jharkhand minister Hafizul Hasan Ansari, among others.

“The FIRs were registered against multiple individuals of different faiths. We will investigate the roles of various social media entities in promoting false and wrong information with an intention to create unrest in cyberspace and the physical space...compromising the social fabric. More names may be added to the FIRs as they proceed in their investigation. ,” said deputy commissioner KPS Malhotra.

A police officer who asked not to be named, said the second FIR didn’t necessarily pertain to the row over Sharma and Jindal’s comments but included those who posted comments on sensitive issues through platforms such as Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and on television news channels. Though police did not share details of the comments posted, investigating officers said they are related to issues such as the ongoing row over Gyanvapi Masjid in Uttar Pradesh and the use of loudspeakers in religious sites.

The police action – the latest in a string of similar complaints across India – came days after comments by Sharma and Jindal triggered a wave of condemnation from Muslim-majority nations, prompting India to reaffirm its respect for all faiths and the BJP to suspend Sharma and expel Jindal. But unlike complaints filed by police in other states, the Delhi Police FIRs also named people not directly linked to the current controversy.

“Delhi Police is suffering from “both-sideism” or “balance-waad” syndromes. One side has openly insulted our Prophet while the other side has been named to assuage BJP supporters & make it look like there was hate speech on both sides,” said Owaisi on Twitter.

In the first FIR, police booked Sharma for her derogatory comments on Prophet Mohammed.

In the second FIR, police said from the analysis of the material available on social media and articles published in newspapers and on other forums, it was clear that some people “were also using hate-worthy languages intentionally or having complete knowledge that use of such type of language/claim/assertion is not only discriminatory but more than sufficient to create a situation of animosity amongst different groups of persons having faith in different religions.”

“...This will certainly be a serious threat to public tranquillity and maintenance of public order in our country where people have been living peacefully. Transmission and publication of such language has been done through electronic media which are filthy in nature and appeals to prurient interest and sufficient to deprave and corrupt any person who sees it or hears the objectionable words...,” the FIR read.

Police said the FIRs were registered after analysing audio, video, and posts available on social media; articles published in newspapers, and on other forums. The cases were registered under sections 153 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot), 295 (injuring or defiling place of worship with intent to insult the religion of any class), 298 (uttering, words, etc., with deliberate intent to wound the religious feelings of any person), 504 (Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), 505 (statements conducing to public mischief) and 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code, police added.

Police are yet to summon anyone named so far in the two FIRs.

Some people named in the second FIR have been booked by Delhi Police on similar allegations in the past. “We are digging through the history of some habitual offenders to identify a trend,” said a police officer familiar with the case developments, requesting anonymity.

One such person was Yati Narsinghanand, who was booked for alleged hate speech in the Press Club of India premises last year and during a mahapanchayat in outer Delhi’s Burari this year. “I have only spoken the truth. What I said does not qualify as hate speech. I have not been summoned or informed by Delhi police. I learnt about the FIR from the media reports,” he told HT.

The officer quoted above said investigators are analysing contents on social media accounts and provocative speeches delivered on TV. “We are writing to the concerned social media intermediaries and news channels, to collect social media history of the accounts of all the 33 people and the comments they made during debates,” said a second police officer, who did not want to be named.

The Delhi Police’s Intelligence Fusion and Strategic Operations (IFSO) unit is probing the two cases. The unit has started writing to Twitter, Facebook, and other social media intermediaries for details of the “objectionable messages” and some of the people named in the second case posted mostly after Sharma’s remarks.

Malhotra confirmed notices have been sent to the social media intermediaries. He added the investigating team is in the process of sending more notices to seek details from other social media entities.

“...during the recent past there has been wide circulation of the words/language which were used by Mr. Navin Kumar Jindal in the above-mentioned tweet on social media. Above tweet has now been analysed and from which it is revealed that he used certain words for Prophet Mohammed, which are not reproduced herein considering the sensitivity of the issue...” the police said about Jindal in the second FIR.

Jindal said he sacrificed himself for his party, government and the country. “My party has taken action against me. Other political parties should also take action against their leaders for hate speech,” he said.

Sharma was not available for comment despite messages and calls.