Mob Lynching Cases: Jamiat Ulama-I-Hind Moves Supreme Court Against Increase in Cases of Lynching, Particularly by Cow Vigilante Groups

New Delhi, October 20: Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind has moved an application before Supreme Court against alarming increase in the cases of mob lynching, particularly by cow protection vigilante groups. A bench of Justices B.R. Gavai, Aravind Kumar, and Prashant Kumar Mishra on Friday said that it will consider the impleadment application filed by the Islamic scholars organisation in the pending proceedings. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, who appeared on petitioners’ behalf, urged that all state governments be added as party in the PIL filed by the National Federation of Indian Women.

The application of impleadment filed through advocate Sugandha Anand referred to a recent incident where an unruly and frenzy mob of four Hindu men attacked a 23-year-old Muslim physiotherapist from Madhya Pradesh after she was coming home from work. "It is submitted that these are just some incidents that have been highlighted here, but these incidents of mob violence, cow vigilantism have been on the rise and it seems that they will continue to haunt our secular, multireligious fabric of nation, unless strictly dealt with by police, state and Central government," the application stated. Stand in Solidarity With Palestinian People, Who Have Endured 75 Years of Israeli Oppression, Says Jamiat Ulema-E-Hind Amid Israel-Hamas Conflict

In July, the top court had issued notice to the Centre and the Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Odisha, and Maharashtra governments against the alarming rise in cases of lynchings and mob violence done against Muslims, particularly "done by cow vigilantes". The public interest litigation had said that the lynching and mob violence should be seen as the result of the general narrative of ostracisation of the minority communities through false propaganda that is being spread by means of public events where hate speeches are made targeting the minorities as well as through social media channels, news channels, and films. Same-Sex Marriage Judgment: Jamiat Ulema-E-Hind Welcomes Supreme Court Verdict, Says It Reinforces Institution of Marriage

Further, it had stated that the state has a "sacrosanct duty to protect its citizens from unruly elements and perpetrators of orchestrated lynching and vigilantism with utmost sincerity and true commitment". "The positive duty of the State to protect the fundamental rights and freedoms of all individuals and the primary responsibility of the State to foster a secular, pluralistic and multiculturalist social order, have been recognised by this Court in several judgments," the plea had stated. The matter is likely to be taken up for further hearing on December 8.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 20, 2023 07:46 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).