You are posted as a Superintendent of Police (SP) in a district where people of different religious communities are living together peacefully. The district is also famous for its architectural heritage and is regularly visited by tourists from all around the world. However, there has been an incident in the nearby state where people of two different communities have started fighting over religious issues. This incident has a spillover effect over the whole country. In your own area of jurisdiction, you have come to know from various sources about circulation of some hate speech videos, which have the potential to destabilise the law and order situation. You are also aware that some outsiders with dubious intentions have started pouring in your district. In one locality, a shopkeeper who had earlier filed a complaint regarding threats he received for posting something on the internet, is found murdered in cold blood. This incident has stunned the nation. You are being informed that hundreds of people of the community to which the shopkeeper belonged are planning to stage a massive protest in your district. (a) In the given situation, what are the options available to you to ensure that the law and order situation in the district remains stable. Provide a detailed account of your course of action. (b) Do you think the present legal and institutional mechanisms are sufficient to tackle the menace of hate speech in the society?

Major ethical issues

• tourists present → image of district & even nation at stake
• misuse of doctored videos → probable lack of objectivity and rationality
• law and order situation → calls for immediate action

(a) Options available

I) Strict ban on all activity → impose curfew

II) Wait and watch → act only if violence starts

Course of Action

1. Immediately dispatch teams → → one team to be placed at major threat locations to avert impending situation. → other team to be dispatched to investigate and find source of hate speech videos.

2. Based on threat-perception, can ask DM to impose Section 144.

3. If a situation arises of violence; use emotional intelligence to calm crowd. (Eg) CS Rathore (IPS) singing national anthem to calm mob in Bangalore.

4. Assure the communities of fair and transparent trials for justice.

5. Long term → ensure all perpetrators of the murder and mischievous elements are caught and charge sheet prepared.

6. Establish mechanisms of community policing to aid if such situation arises in future. → learn from Assam's Miera Paibi

7. Awareness among citizens about ills of hate speech and awareness about rationality for doctored videos.

(b) Sections 295A and 153A of IPC deal with hate speech. However

not enough

→ No common definition of hate speech → No check on politicians → Election Commission Called toothless in Haridwar case → Lack of proportionate punishment → Delays in justice.

way ahead

→ Adopt Law commission's hate speech definition for better transparency and consensus → Strictly enforce all provisions for deterrence - Dillard's fear theory