The Supreme Court has taken a significant step as it agreed to hear an urgent plea filed by a women's organization, the National Federation of Indian Women (NFIW), seeking immediate action from states to effectively deal with incidents of lynching and mob violence against Muslims by cow vigilantes. The plea highlights the need to align with the 2018 apex court verdict, which issued clear guidelines to curb such violence, predominantly affecting the Muslim community.
Justices BR Gavai and JB Pardiwala presided over the bench, issuing notices to the Centre and the Director Generals of Police (DGPs) of Maharashtra, Orissa, Rajasthan, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, and Haryana, seeking their responses to the plea.
Advocate Kapil Sibal, representing NFIW, strongly advocated against referring the matter to high courts for adjudication, emphasizing the urgency of the issue and the delay in justice for victims. The plea urges the Supreme Court to take a decisive stance and prevent further incidents of lynching and mob violence targeting Muslims, as reported by PTI.
The petition draws attention to the "alarming" surge in such cases despite the Supreme Court's 2018 verdict, which called for urgent action by the state authorities to contain and address this grave issue.
In the landmark 2018 verdict, the Supreme Court underscored the state's duty to protect the fundamental rights and freedoms of all individuals and foster a secular, pluralistic, and multiculturalist social order. The court recognized its own constitutional duty to protect lives and human rights, urging the authorities to curb vigilantism, including cow vigilantism, or any other form that threatens the rule of law and communal harmony.
The PIL referenced several incidents of mob violence, including the recent killing of a 55-year-old truck driver, Jaharuddin, in Bihar's Saran district, on suspicion of carrying beef. Such occurrences necessitate immediate attention from the Supreme Court to prevent further loss of life and ensure justice for the victims and their families.
Apart from action against the perpetrators, the plea seeks a direction to the Centre to provide a minimum uniform amount to the victims of mob violence, in addition to the compensation determined by the respective states, considering various factors like bodily injury, psychological trauma, loss of earning, and medical expenses.
