The communists’ attempt to target Hindus by dividing ‘hate speech’ crimes based on religion fails

• Press conference of anti-Hindu communists in Mumbai

• The speakers falter by the journalists’ questions

• Teesta Setalvad leaves the press conference midway

(‘Hate speech’ means provocative speech or statements)

Mumbai – A press conference was held by anti-Hindu communists under the banner of ‘United Against Injustice and Discrimination’ on hate speech and hate crimes. In this press conference, while presenting the statistics of ‘hate speech’ crimes in the past year and in the press release issued, it was made to appear that all the crimes were committed by Hindus by presenting the statistics of crimes against Muslims, Christians and Dalits only.

At this time, the statistics of ‘hate speech’ crimes registered against Muslims for statements made against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and other Hindu leaders were given; however, not a single example of those hate statements was given. When journalists asked, “Do you want to define ‘hate speech’ crimes based on religion?”, the speakers on the platform faltered. Therefore, the communists’ attempt to divide ‘hate speech’ crimes based on religion and target Hindus failed.

The press conference was attended by speakers like Teesta Setalvad, Zeenat Shaukat Ali, Irfan Engineer, Sarfaraz Arju, Harvinder Singh Khalsa, Advocate Suresh Mane, Father Fraser Mascarenhas and others. The journalists present at the event asked many questions like, ‘Isn’t the attack on women Policemen during a rally in support of Aurangzeb in Nagpur an example of hate speech?’, ‘Isn’t the statements made by Muslim religious leaders against Hindus an example of hate speech?’; but none of the speakers were able to give appropriate answers to these questions.

Speakers falter over question ‘Aren’t Hindus the victims of hate speech?’

A representative of the daily ‘Sanatan Prabhat’ asked, “Why are statistics on hate speech only being shown for specific religions ? Is there no hate speech against Hindus or Sikhs? Why are you categorizing hate speech on the basis of religion? Do you want to talk about hate speech or do you want to blame only Hindus?” None of the speakers could answer this.

A speaker at the press conference said that action should be taken against all the culprits of hate speech crimes. When asked by journalists, ‘Why are the crimes of atrocities against Hindus not mentioned in the press release ? Former BJP leader Nupur Sharma’s alleged statement against Islam was given as an example of hate speech in the press conference, then why is there no mention of the extremely provocative threat of ‘Sar Tan Se Juda’ (beheading) repeatedly given to Hindus by fanatic Muslims?’, none of the speakers could answer.

The speakers were agitated for being unable to answer any of the journalists’ questions. Teesta Setalvad left the press conference midway.