Hate speech law brought in the interest of state & society: Karnataka Deputy CM Shivakumar

Belagavi (Karnataka): Defending the Karnataka Hate Speech and Hate Crimes (Prevention and Control) Bill, 2025, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Tuesday said that the law has been brought in the interest of the state and society.

“We live in a civilised society. There should be no hatred. The law is being brought with the intention of preventing hatred and conflicts from disturbing law and order in society. This will be beneficial to the state and society,” Shivakumar said at a media interaction near the Belagavi airport and the Circuit House in response to a media query on the proposed law.

The Bill, which is being vehemently opposed by the BJP, is listed for discussion and will be put to a vote in the Assembly later on Tuesday.

On the BJP’s opposition to the passage of the Bill to curb hate speech, he countered: “Will the media tell us what discussions the BJP held on Karnataka’s development?”

Shivakumar questioned why the BJP was not speaking about key issues concerning north Karnataka. “We have convened this Assembly session to discuss the problems of north Karnataka. Why is the BJP not talking about the Mahadayi project, the Upper Krishna project and the Upper Bhadra project?” he asked.

Asked whether he had met Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi in New Delhi, Shivakumar replied: “You would have seen in the photographs that we met and exchanged pleasantries.”

About the protest held in Delhi against alleged vote theft, he said: “Democracy must be protected in this country. Thousands of workers participated in the protest to stop the injustice being caused by vote theft. That itself is our success.”

“Even those who do not hold any positions spent their own money and came to Delhi to support the leadership of Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi. Through this, a message has been sent to the entire country,” he said.

He added that party MP and General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi had conveyed a message calling for a return to voting through ballot papers. “The protest was successful. On behalf of the party, I thank the workers and leaders who came from every corner of Karnataka,” he said.

Paying tribute to senior leader, the late Shamanur Shivashankarappa, Shivakumar said: “He was an Ajatashatru (one who has no enemies) and a leader who gave a new identity to Davanagere in Central Karnataka. Even in his advanced age, he guided all of us with great enthusiasm. He made immense contributions to the field of education and worked for people from all sections of society, earning a reputation as a generous philanthropist.”

“During the Covid-19 pandemic, when the government was unable to provide vaccines, he personally ensured free vaccination for the entire population of Davanagere. Only after that did the government step in. I too participated in that programme and admired his generosity,” he said.

“The entire government has paid tribute to him. It is deeply painful to lose such a person. God should have granted him a longer life. Except for spending 10–15 days in the hospital, he lived his entire life with joy. He provided employment and education to lakhs of people and lived as a respected leader by practising the values he believed in,” he said.

Shivakumar said he could not attend the Assembly proceedings on Monday as he had travelled directly from Delhi to Davanagere along with Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge to pay his last respects to Shivashankarappa.

IANS