The legislative assembly in the south-western Indian state of Karnataka on last Thursday has passed a bill to criminalize hate speech ” despite protests from opposition BJP MLAs. The "Karnataka Hate Speech and Hate Crimes (Prevention) Bill" broadly defines hate speech as expressions causing disharmony or enmity and contains provisions for victim compensation, fines and even jail sentences of up to seven years. Well, the reason why the opposition BJP MLAs were seen panicking over this bill in the Legislative Assembly of Karnataka is because this bill will henceforth not give them their bread and butter i.e. they will not be able to spread communal hatred against the minorities through their hate speeches in their state or instigate the majority community over religion. Well, I personally feel that such a bill should also be passed in the Goa Assembly because from the time political parties like the BJP has set its foot in the state, some rabid communal elements belonging to non-Goan right wing organisations are openly seen posting some anti-minority hate spreading posts on social media to pit one community against the other on religion.
