VHP urges governor to withhold assent to hate speech bill 2025

A delegation of the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) met Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot at Raj Bhavan on Monday and urged him not to give assent to the Karnataka Hate Speech and Hate Crimes (Prevention) Bill, 2025, which has been passed by the State Legislature.

In a memorandum submitted to the Governor, the VHP stated that the Bill is unconstitutional and suffers from several legal and procedural flaws. It argued that the definition of “hate speech” in the Bill has not been clearly articulated, which is a matter of serious concern as it could lead to misuse by various agencies.

The delegation alleged that the Bill violates the fundamental right to freedom of speech and expression and goes against Supreme Court rulings which state that vague laws cannot be used to curtail free speech. They further expressed concern that the legislation could criminalise lawful criticism and legitimate political speech, potentially leading to censorship at every level of communication.

The memorandum also stated that existing central laws already address offences related to hurting religious sentiments and hate speech, making the introduction of the state legislation unnecessary. The Bill, they said, fails to clearly distinguish between hate speech and hate crimes and grants excessive powers to the police.

The VHP urged the Governor, under Article 200 of the Constitution, to withhold assent to the Bill and forward it for the consideration of the President. The delegation included Central Secretary Devji Rawat, State Secretary B.E. Suresh, State Legal Head Prakash Shetty, Samarasya convenor Kashyap and Special Contact Head Muniraj.