Bengaluru, Jan 10 (IANS) The Karnataka unit of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday said that it will urge Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot not to give assent to the Hate Speech Bill as it will “curb” freedom of speech.

Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, the Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka stated, “The Hate Speech Prohibition Bill will snatch away freedom of speech. We will convince the Governor about this.”

Criticising the government for passing the Bill without discussion, he said: “The Constitution drafted by Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar provides for discussion on bills. The Legislative Assembly exists for presenting and discussing bills, not for creating chaos.”

The Congress MLAs and ministers got “scared” and hurriedly presented the bill, he said.

Ashoka said that he will meet the Governor on Monday, along with other BJP leaders, on the issue.

Expressing his opposition, he said, “This is a bill that snatches the freedom of the people and the media. Just like freedom of speech was snatched during the Emergency, here too, freedom is being taken away through the bill. The government does not give us an opportunity for our complaints. Therefore, we are going to the Governor. The Governor has asked for clarification regarding reservations. Similarly, when bringing any bill, discussion is necessary,” Ashoka stated.

Talking about Kerala government’s attempts to make Malayalam language compulsory in Kannada schools, indirectly referring to AICC General Secretary K.C. Venugopal, who hails from Kerala, he said, “In Kerala’s Kannada schools, priority is not being given to Kannada. Leaders who are close associates of Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah have done this. The CM and Deputy CM are involved in this, and they knew about all these developments in advance.”

“When the Kerala CM slammed this government for adopting the bulldozer model of Uttar Pradesh, CM Siddaramaiah said nothing,” Ashoka noted.

The Hate Speech Bill proposes to curb the dissemination and promotion of hate speech and hate-motivated offences that cause social disharmony, hatred or ill will against individuals or groups.

If the Bill translates into law, hate speech and related hate crimes will be treated as cognisable and non-bailable offences.

The penalties will include imprisonment from one to seven years and fines for a first offence; repeat offences can attract 2 to 10 years’ imprisonment with higher fines.

–IANS

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