Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Jha is likely to introduce a private member's Bill in the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament to curb hate crimes and hate speeches.
As per the information available with the Rajya Sabha, the RJD member in the upper house will introduce the bill in the first week of the session on Friday, a day when private members’ business is scheduled. The monsoon session of Parliament will begin on July 18.
The Hate Crimes and Hate Speech (Combat, Prevention and Punishment) bill, 2022, seeks to punish those involved in hate crimes and hate speeches. According to Jha, given the current scenario in the country it is important to talk about legislation like this. “It is unfortunate that in a democracy the essence of democracy has been forgotten in many aspects,” he said. There have been protests in different parts of the country over the controversial comments of suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma. Recently TMC Member of Parliament Mahua Moitra’s remarks on Goddess Kali also led to a massive controversy.
Last year, during the Budget Session as well ,Manoj Jha had demanded legislation to regulate online hate speech and improve information disclosure about paid content. Jha said the use of the online sphere for spreading hate speech is reaching new heights.
"I request to bring legislation to regulate the problem of online hate speech.
The legislation should aim to detect, monitor and safeguard against coordinated inauthentic behaviour, the misuse of online account bots, for the spread of hate speech and the deliberate broadcasting of fake news," Jha said in the Rajya Sabha.
He had said the legislation should have measures to be taken to improve information disclosure about paid content aimed at spreading hate speech for a political end.
He also suggested that such legislation be introduced only after discussion with stakeholders for a balance between the censorship of harmful content and freedom of speech and expression.