The Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind has approached the Supreme Court seeking action against recent public remarks made by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, calling them “communal, deeply divisive, and contrary to the spirit of the Constitution.” The application, filed by Jamiat president Maulana Mahmood Madani through senior advocate M R Shamshad, has been moved in a pending petition where the apex court had already reserved its verdict on January 20.
The plea focuses on a speech delivered by Sarma on January 27, in which he allegedly made objectionable remarks against members of a minority community. The Jamiat contended that such statements, coming from a person holding a high constitutional office, go beyond political rhetoric or protected free speech.
“These are deliberate attempts to spread hatred, create hostility, and stigmatise an entire community,” the petition states, adding that such statements undermine the dignity and neutrality expected of a constitutional functionary and seriously damage social harmony.
The Jamiat has urged the court to frame “strict and enforceable guidelines” for individuals holding public office, aimed at preventing the misuse of constitutional positions to promote hate or target any group. The petition argues that the absence of regulatory norms allows public officials to make inflammatory speeches without accountability, thereby weakening core constitutional values like equality, secularism, and fraternity.
It further states that such remarks do not deserve protection under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution, as they violate principles of human dignity and the rule of law.
The application stresses that the issue is not limited to a single incident or leader but reflects a larger need for legal safeguards ensuring that no individual — regardless of status — is above the Constitution.
