Mangaluru: Amid a nationwide debate over the state government’s proposed Hate Speech and Hate Crimes (Prevention) Bill, 2025, KPCC general secretary Padmaraj R. Poojary on Monday said the legislation was aimed at preserving social harmony and preventing violence, and was not targeted against any individual or group.
Poojary, who said he was among the first to urge the government to bring in such a law, welcomed the move and described the bill as a people-friendly and timely measure. “This bill is not about revenge or targeting anyone. It is meant solely for social welfare and to maintain peace,” he said.
Responding to criticism from opposition parties, which have termed the bill anti-people, Poojary defended it as a necessary intervention to curb the growing menace of hate speech. He recalled having repeatedly stressed the need for a legal framework to regulate inflammatory speeches several months ago.
The KPCC leader said the government had been urged to act against rising incidents of violence and murders in the coastal districts, where hatred and provocative speeches were often the root cause. “It is welcome that this concern has now taken the form of legislation,” he said.
Speaking in Mangaluru, Poojary pointed out that speeches fuelling religious and political discord were on the rise across Karnataka, particularly in the coastal belt. He expressed concern over repeated attempts to provoke youth through hate-filled narratives, warning that such trends posed a serious threat to communal harmony.
He said the proposed law would help prevent hate speech and hate crimes against individuals, groups and institutions, prescribe punishment for offenders, and ensure compensation for victims.
Poojary, who is also a practising lawyer, said youths from economically weaker sections were increasingly becoming victims of hate-driven politics across the state. He noted that a Congress-appointed fact-finding committee, which probed the murders of Suhas Shetty and Abdul Rahman in Dakshina Kannada, had also highlighted the need for stringent laws to curb hate speech.
Terming the state cabinet’s approval of the bill as commendable, Poojary expressed confidence that the legislation would help Karnataka emerge as “a garden of peace for all communities” in the days ahead.
