CAA-NRC protests: Sonia, Rahul Gandhi oppose petition in Delhi HC over 'hate speeches'

Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi have opposed a plea filed before the Delhi High Court that seeks action against them for alleged hate speeches during the 2020 CAA-NRC protests.

Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi have filed an affidavit before the Delhi High Court, seeking to quash a petition seeking action against them for alleged hate speeches during the 2020 CAA-NRC protests.

The plea had alleged that the speeches made by Sonia and Rahul Gandhi ignited the communal violence that led to the Delhi riots in 2020. Refuting the claim, the Gandhis said in their affidavit that the plea has been picked up in a "selective manner" and "gives away the larger conspiracy behind the exercise".

"The acts have fallen on independent, non-conformist sections and leaders of the opposition parties. Meanwhile, a series of speeches made by the members of the ruling party, falling squarely within the ambit of the sections under which the present writ is seeking action against the respondents, have been conveniently left out by the petitioner, revealing the coloured nature of the exercise," the affidavit read.

The affidavit also states that opposition to the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) was not "incitement to violence".

"Holding, expressing a bonafide opinion in the public interest on a bill passed by Parliament is not a reasonable restriction and violates the basic principles on which our democracy is founded," the affidavit by Gandhi read.

"To prevent a citizen from expressing a bonafide opinion against any bill or law passed by the government and putting it in the public domain to inform, generate a debate, build public opinion for reforms/change is violative of our right to free speech," it stated.