Adjudication cloud over West Bengal election candidatesThe ruling TMC has already announced the names of 291 candidates for the 294 assembly seats in the state. Published on: Mar 21, 2026 7:35 AM IST By Joydeep Thakur Share via Copy link Kalita Majhi, 38
Air India flies ‘wrong’ Boeing 777 jet to Vancouver, plane makes U-turn after 4 hoursAccording to Flightradar24, the flight turned back while flying over Chinese airspace after being airborne for roughly four hours. Published on: Mar 21, 2026 7:35 AM IST By HT Correspondent Share via Copy link
The probability of a US recession by the end of 2026 has surged to 36%, according to the prediction platform Polymarket, which tracks real-world events through crowd-sourced betting markets. Polymarket, the world’s largest prediction market, allows traders to buy and sell shares on real-world
I have been asked this, in one form or another, more times than I can count. Sometimes it arrives wrapped in curiosity – a raised eyebrow from a guest who has just noticed my accent, my name, the fact that I come from somewhere else entirely. Sometimes it arrives as a pointed observation
The ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Gulf region due to escalations by Iran, Israel, US could send a ripple effect in the Indian property market. New Delhi: The ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Gulf region due to escalations by Iran, Israel
An Indian state wants to tackle hate speech with a law - can it work?
An Indian state wants to tackle hate speech with a law - can it work?
Can a law help curb hate speech in India? That's what the southern state of Karnataka is betting on.
Last month, legislators passed a bill which aims to prevent hate speech and hate crimes that fuel communal tension or target individuals and groups.
Hate speech is not new in India, but it has intensified in recent years as social media has spread and television channels amplify comments and reactions. A report last year found hate speech against minorities - mainly Muslims - rose 74% in 2024, peaking during the national elections.
That's why the Karnataka government - led by the Congress party - says the move is necessary, arguing that hate speech can lead to real-life violence. But critics warn this could come at the cost of civil liberties and free speech.
The Karnataka Hate Speech and Hate Crimes (Prevention) Bill, 2025, which still needs the state governor's sign to become law, sets out how hate speech cases should be investigated and prosecuted.
It defines hate speech as any "expression which is made, published, or circulated… in public view" verbally, in print, television or social media. But it also defines a hate crime as the "communication of hate speech", without specifying whether it needs to lead to violence or not.
The bill gives the state government the power to order social media and digital platforms to take down content it deems hate speech, something only the federal government can do currently.
India doesn't have a federal law against hate speech but a number of provisions across laws prohibit certain forms of speech, writing and actions as exceptions to free speech.
This includes criminalisation of acts that could promote "enmity between different groups on grounds of religion" and "deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs".
The BJP, which governs nationally but is in the opposition in Karnataka, has said that bringing in a separate law is unnecessary.
But Karnataka home minister G Parameshwara told the assembly the bill would close loopholes in existing law, making hate speech and hate crimes non-bailable and giving the state wider powers to act.
It also raises punishments. If passed into law, those convicted of hate crimes would face non-bailable jail terms of one to seven years and fines of 50,000 rupees ($550; £410), with tougher penalties for repeat offenders.
The chief minister of neighbouring Telangana state, also governed by the Congress, has said that they will introduce a similar bill as well.
The BJP, often accused of coming down sharply on dissent nationally and in states it governs, has been protesting against the bill, saying it could curb free speech.
"Through this law, the state government is taking away people's right to free speech guaranteed by the constitution, and putting opposition leaders and the media behind bars," opposition leader R Ashoka told the assembly.
Legal experts and free speech activists echo the concerns.
Supreme Court lawyer Sanjay Hegde warns that the law could be misused by political parties across the spectrum.
"One party's hate speech is another man's political propaganda and vice versa. Just because you dislike some speech, it does not become hate speech," he says.
Alok Prasanna Kumar, advocate and co-founder of Vidhi Centre for Legal policy, says that while the intent behind the law might be good, there is "enormous scope for misuse".
The debate has also raised a more fundamental issue around how hate speech and crime are defined by law.
"It is an attempt by a state to define hate speech as a term in the law, which expands beyond existing provisions on promoting enmity and outraging religious feelings, to include speech targeting caste, religion and other identities," said Siddharth Narrain, assistant professor at National Law School of India University.
However, he says the bill blurs the line between hate speech and hate crime. Hate speech, he argues, should be prosecuted because it can lead to violence, but the current wording treats communication itself as a hate crime even when no violence follows.
Experts also cite a 2015 Supreme Court ruling that laws criminalising speech must be precise, not vague or overly broad, to avoid a "chilling effect" in which people self-censor for fear of prosecution.
BJP leaders and some activists have urged the governor not to pass the bill but to instead send it to the Indian president for consideration.
Advocate and social activist Girish Bhardwaj, who has written to the governor, says the bill regulates citizens rather than hate speech.
He argues it gives excessive discretion to "executive agencies" - senior police and administrative officers - to decide what speech falls under the law, raising the risk of conflicts of interest, especially when the government is being criticised.
However, a senior Karnataka government official told the BBC, on condition of anonymity, that the bill would empower police by removing the need for government permission to file chargesheets, ruling out abuse of power.
"The police will have to approach the court directly and face consequences for inaction or mistakes," the official said.
This also means the accused can be tried regardless of political affiliation, the official added.
"If a party worker indulges in hate speech or a hate crime, the ruling party may not sanction prosecution. Under this law, the government cannot intervene," the official said.
Critics, however, argue that because the first point of action is the police, they may exercise a wider discretion in deciding what qualifies as hate speech.
"The first step is the police; the judiciary comes much later," Kumar says, arguing that the law's breadth and harsh penalties could push police to act on political signals rather than independent judgement.
"This is why I am not so sure this bill will achieve any of its intended effects at the end of the day," he adds.
Source: BBC
Related Posts: Karnataka brings hate speech law BJP exploring options to block hate speech law in Karnataka Zohran Mamdani sworn in as New York City mayor at historic subway station Every swing, every stat Eyes on Governors’ Republic Day speech in three southern states New digital IDs might help curb immigration Australia to introduce laws to crack down on hate speech after Bondi shooting BJP-ruled states accounted for 88% of anti-minority hate speech events in 2025 No Decision From Governor On Karnataka Hate Speech Bill Yet BJP founding father of hate speech
Love Horoscope Today for March 21, 2026: Today's cosmic shift's impact on your love lifeLove Horoscope Today, March 21, 2026: Find daily astrological predictions for all sun signs. Published on: Mar 21, 2026 6:11 AM IST By Neeraj Dhankher Share via Copy link Our astrologer, Neeraj Dhankher
4 hours ago
A Patiala-based photography and cinematography service has won hearts online with a beautifully crafted pre-wedding video that blends vintage storytelling with modern filmmaking. Shubhdeep Films, a Patiala-based photography and cinematography firm
4 hours ago
With energy prices still high due to the conflict in the Gulf, governments around the world are being urged to reduce driving speed limits and encourage more working from home. The International Energy Agency (IEA) has suggested ten measures to reduce the amount of energy being consumed across the
4 hours ago
Ronnie O'Sullivan has set a new record for the highest break in professional snooker history, achieving an astonishing 153 at the World Open in China. This remarkable feat surpasses the previous record of 148 and further solidifies O'Sullivan's status as a legendary figure in the sport
4 hours ago
TMC releases manifesto for West Bengal elections, promises to widen its social sector schemesOne of the 10 pledges of the manifesto focuses on empowerment of women, with the party promising to enhance financial assistance under the Lakshmir Bhandar Published on: Mar 21
4 hours ago
Think your iPhone is secure? This new iOS 18 hack may change thatA new iOS exploit can steal users' private information from their iPhones simply by users visiting an infected website on Safari web browser. Updated on: Mar 20, 2026 7:37 PM IST By Shweta Ganjoo Share via Copy link If you haven’t
4 hours ago
On social media a heartwarming video is making people smile for all the right reasons. Amid the viral trend of recreating a popular scene from Falguni Pathak’s Sawan Mein, one woman has stood out in the most unexpected and beautiful way. While many have been recreating the scene with props like
4 hours ago
Cristiano Ronaldo set to recover in time for FIFA World Cup as Portugal head coach gives major injury update Updated on: Mar 21, 2026 6:11 AM IST Written by Neelav Chakravarti Share via Copy link Cristiano Ronaldo is currently recovering from an injury
4 hours ago
A jury in the federal court in San Francisco has found Elon Musk liable for misleading investors during the period leading up to his $44 billion acquisition of Twitter in 2022. According to the jury, Musk deliberately pushed down the company’s stock price in the months before completing the deal
4 hours ago
Joshua Jefferson injury update: Iowa State star could play vs Kentucky, X-ray results revealed Updated on: Mar 21, 2026 4:31 AM IST By Yash Nitish Bajaj Share via Copy link Iowa State Cyclones forward Joshua Jefferson (5) shoots a layup against Tennessee State Tigers forwards Antoine Lorick III
4 hours ago
Tributes have been pouring in from around the world to US martial artist and Hollywood action star Chuck Norris, who died aged 86. "He may have a warrior exterior, but his heart was so full of love," his daughter Danilee Norris said. Swedish actor and martial artist Dolph Lundgren - who starred
4 hours ago
Monday's air strike on Kabul resulted in the highest number of casualties seen since hostilities began again in February. Within hours of explosions ringing across the capital, both sides were posting on social media - a war of words as people searched for answers
4 hours ago
Raymond Group Chairman Gautam Hari Singhania has been injured in a speedboat accident in the Maldives. He was among tourists when the boat capsized. Singhania has been rescued and is recovering in Mumbai. Search operations are underway for two other Indian men who are missing
4 hours ago
In 2022, as the number of Covid-19 cases began falling and travel opened up again, 30-year-old Irshit Ali’s life changed. There was a sudden surge of tourists in his hometown of Ladakh, where he worked ferrying tourists in his van. This was good for business.In 2022
4 hours ago
Another twist in Formula 1’s ever-shifting management landscape, and this one comes with immediate impact. Jonathan Wheatley has stepped down from his role with Audi with immediate effect, just a year after joining the project. And the timing? Hardly coincidental
4 hours ago
Two Congress leaders, B.S. Anoop and R.S. Arun Raj, joined the BJP in Thiruvananthapuram, expressing dissatisfaction with the Congress leadership. Both leaders, denied tickets for the upcoming Assembly elections, are expected to contest from Chirayinkeezhu and Chadayamangalam respectively
4 hours ago
Tarot Horoscope Today for March 21, 2026: Here's your tarot message based on your zodiac signThis article will dive into the daily tarot reading for each zodiac sign for March 21, 2026, with our expert's predictions. Published on: Mar 21, 2026 7:03 AM IST By Neeraj Dhankher Share via Copy link The
4 hours ago
Washington, Mar 21 (PTI) The United States has announced the temporary lifting of sanctions on the sale of Iranian oil stranded at sea in an effort to cool down soaring global crude prices. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the temporary measure will make available 140 million barrels of
4 hours ago
The Supreme Court has permitted the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation to cut more than 45,000 mangroves. This is for the proposed Versova-Bhayandar coastal road project in north Mumbai. The project aims to significantly reduce travel time and distance
4 hours ago
Prakash Raj reacts to tweet talking about Allu Arjun, Vijay Deverakonda, Jr NTR, and Mahesh Babu praising Dhurandhar 2Prakash Raj also shared a video of the song Abhi Na Jaao Chhod Kar and wrote that he is very far from Dhurandhar 2. Check his posts here. Mar 21, 2026
4 hours ago
Techie earning $85,000 in Canada considers moving to India for ₹26 LPA FAANG job, internet reactsIn a Reddit post, the techie shared that though the Canadian salary looks good on paper, the reality is very different. Published on: Mar 21, 2026 7:45 AM IST By Trisha Sengupta Share via Copy link A
4 hours ago
Trent Alexander-Arnold's omission from Thomas Tuchel's largest England squad is the latest blow to his stop-start international career and casts huge doubt on his hopes of playing at the World Cup. Head coach Tuchel said on Friday he had "not yet" spoken to the 27-year-old about his exclusion
4 hours ago
Congress leadership has brought peace to Kerala's party affairs. K Sudhakaran will lead the campaign in Kannur. Adoor Prakash has withdrawn his assembly seat claim. The party is optimistic about the upcoming April 9 election. Rahul Gandhi expressed commitment to Kerala's future
4 hours ago
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi on Friday pushed back strongly against US President Donald Trump’s claim that Tehran was preparing to attack American forces, warning of a forceful response if Iran’s infrastructure is hit. “We are men and women of principles
4 hours ago
Fans are pouring into the historic heart of South Korea's capital for what may well be the year's biggest event: the return of the world's most successful band in recent years, BTS. Some 260,000 people are expected to turn up on Saturday at Gwanghwamun Square, where the seven K-pop stars - RM, Jin
4 hours ago
Elon Musk was misleading in his public statements during a crucial period of his 2022 Twitter takeover, a jury has found. After two days of deliberations, a jury in San Francisco federal court decided in a unanimous verdict against the tech titan
4 hours ago
Rishi Kapoor, Ratna Pathak Shah instantly agreed to Kapoor & Sons, says film's director: After being rejected by actors…Shakun Batra was asked about taking creative risks with Kapoor & Sons. He said that at that time, honestly, he didn't care. Mar 21, 2026
4 hours ago
