The PIL also stated that Sarma is giving speeches and releasing videos that are openly inciting violence against the minority community by inciting civilians to take law and order into their own hands.
He alleged that the CM has indulged in “open hate speech” against the minority community by calling for their social and economic boycott and using derogatory words to describe them, and propagating harmful stereotypes about them.
He also alleged that the CM has “incited violence and hatred with references to community dress and language, fueling communal disharmony and directing his officials to use their public functions in a malicious manner to harass the minority community”.
The PIL sought a probe by a special investigation team (SIT), headed by a retired Supreme Court judge, against the CM and appropriate action.
“In the instant case, despite the widely circulated and publicly recorded speeches which prima facie reveal incitement to discrimination, social and economic boycott of a minority community, no suo motu FIR has been registered by the state authorities,” he asserted.
Apart from the PIL filed by prominent citizens, CPI and CPI(M) had also filed separate petitions on February 21 on the issue.
The CPI(M) had also made the BJP a respondent in its petition, but the High Court had refused to issue notice to the party at the present stage.
The Supreme Court had on February 16 refused to entertain petitions seeking action against the CM for one video now deleted posted on the Assam BJP’s X handle, apparently showing Himanta targeting and firing at members of the Muslim community.
Refusing to entertain the pleas, a bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi asked the petitioners to approach the Gauhati High Court with their grievances.
She also asked the Chief Justice of KL to speed up the hearing on this matter.
(With data from PTI)
