The Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered enhanced deployment of security personnel in sensitive areas of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi after a series of communal clashes claimed at least six lives and left several others injured in Nuh and Gurugram. The court also directed authorities to take action against hate speeches.
The apex court witnessed some unusual proceedings today with Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud deciding to roster an urgent hearing for a petition on the riots in Haryana, interrupting a Constitution bench's discussion on the now-scrapped Article 370.
The CJI assigned the pleas to a bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and S.V. Bhatti, which observed that hate speeches vitiate the atmosphere and ordered installation of CCTV cameras in vulnerable places.
“We hope and trust that the state governments, including the police authorities, will ensure that there are no hate speeches against any community and there is no violence or damage to properties. Wherever required, adequate police force or paramilitary forces will be deployed,” the bench said.
The court posted the matter for hearing on Friday while refusing to stop the proposed rallies of Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal in the National Capital Region.
Senior advocate C.U. Singh, appearing for petitioner journalist Shaheen Abdullah, said 23 demonstrations have been announced by VHP and Bajrang Dal in various parts of the NCR.
The VHP and Bajrang Dal on Wednesday staged demonstrations in several parts of the national capital against violence in Haryana. Carrying saffron-coloured flags and chanting slogans of 'Jai Shri Ram', 'Har Har Mahadev', and 'Vande Mataram', protesters blocked the road at Badarpur border.
The protesters' sit-in on the border caused a long jam, hampering the movement of traffic from Faridabad to Delhi.
The Delhi Police has beefed up security in the city and is maintaining a tight vigil using even drones to monitor several protests taking place and other movements.
Six people, including two home guards, have died in the communal violence which first broke out in Nuh after a mob tried to stop a VHP procession on July 31. Following this, incidents of violence and arson were also reported from Palwal, Faridabad and Gurugram, areas that are close to Delhi.
As many as 116 people have been arrested so far, according to the Haryana government.
