New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday directed the Chief Secretaries and Directors General of Police (DGPs) in states and union territories to take prompt action to prevent threat, assault, intimidation and boycott targeted at Kashmiris, especially students, in the wake of the February 14 Pulwama attack.
It also issued notice to the Centre and 11 states on a public interest litigation (PIL) by Tariq Adeeb that urged for attention to the incidents, including a call for boycott of Kashmiris by Meghalaya Governor Tathagata Roy, in the aftermath of the deadly atatck on a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) convoy that left 40 troopers dead.
“So that all acts of assault, threats, intimidation and boycott of Kashmiris and other minorities can be brought to the notice of nodal officers and necessary steps must be taken,” a bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Sanjiv Khanna said, asking the Ministry of Home Affairs to give wide publicity to advisories issued to the states.
Attorney General K.K. Venugopal told the court that the nodal officers have already been appointed in the states since 2016, and a list of these officers were furnished before the bench.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh has already issued the advisories, Venugopal told the court, explaining that it could not issue directions as law and order is a State Subject.
The court said the nodal officers must act and take steps to curb the incidents of violence, discrimination and other foreseeable acts against people from Jammu and Kashmir, particularly students, and those belonging to other minorities.
It said the police officers will deal with the incidents pertaining to Kashmiris and other minorities in these states in the wake of the recent terror strike.
The bench has now listed the matter for further hearing on next Wednesday. The plea had sought a direction to the Centre and other authorities for prosecuting people engaging in hate speech, and to appoint a nodal officer in every state and union territory, including politically-sensitive districts, to prevent acts of violence, discrimination and vigilantism. It had also sought immediate setting up of a nationwide helpline number and a website containing contact details of the nodal officers appointed in politically-sensitive districts. (PTI)
