Left Parties Approach Supreme Court Over Assam Chief Minister's Controversial Video
In a significant legal development, leaders from the Communist Party of India (CPI) and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM) have formally approached the Supreme Court of India. They are seeking immediate legal action against Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma concerning a now-deleted video that allegedly depicted acts of violence targeting the Muslim community.
Urgent Plea Heard by Supreme Court Bench
A bench presided over by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, alongside Justices Joymalya Bagchi and N V Anjaria, took cognizance of the petition on Tuesday. Senior advocate Nizam Pasha, representing the Left party leaders, urgently requested the court's intervention.
Pasha informed the court that despite formal complaints being lodged by the petitioners regarding the inflammatory content, no First Information Report (FIR) had been registered by the authorities to date. "We seek urgent intervention of this court with respect to disturbing speeches made by the sitting Chief Minister of Assam," Pasha submitted. "This includes a recent video posted where he is shown as shooting at members of a particular community. Complaints have been filed, but no FIR is registered."
CJI's Remarks on Election Season Petitions
In response to the plea for urgent hearing, Chief Justice Surya Kant made a notable observation regarding the timing of such petitions. He remarked that legal challenges often surface concurrently with the election cycle, suggesting a pattern where political battles extend into the judicial arena.
"The problem is, as soon as elections come, part of the election is fought in the Supreme Court. That is the problem," the CJI stated. He assured the petitioners that the court would examine the matter and schedule a hearing date accordingly.
Details of the Controversial Video
The controversy stems from a video clip that was shared on February 7 from the official X (formerly Twitter) account of the Assam unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The content of the video was highly provocative.
- The clip purportedly showed Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma taking aim with a rifle and firing at two individuals.
- One of the individuals was depicted wearing a skull cap, while the other was shown sporting a beard—symbols often associated with the Muslim community.
- The post was captioned "point-blank shot," which intensified the inflammatory nature of the content.
The video triggered an immediate and widespread backlash across social media and political circles. It faced severe allegations of promoting communal hatred and inciting violence against a specific religious community. Following the intense public uproar and criticism, the BJP swiftly deleted the video from its official social media account.
Chief Minister's Denial and Next Steps
When confronted by reporters about the controversial video, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma issued a firm denial. He claimed to have no knowledge or involvement regarding the video's creation or dissemination.
"I don't know anything about any video," Sarma stated unequivocally when questioned on the matter.
The Supreme Court is now expected to deliberate on the petition and decide on a formal date for hearing the case in the coming days. This legal move by the Left parties underscores the escalating political and judicial tensions surrounding issues of hate speech and communal rhetoric, particularly as the nation navigates a charged electoral atmosphere.
