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Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leader Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat, who faces multiple cases of hate speech from Dakshina Kannada district, has given an undertaking to the Karnataka High Court that he would not make such remarks in future.
Senior advocate Arun Shyam, appearing for Prabhakar Bhat, gave an undertaking before the High Court on Tuesday, June 2, during a hearing on a case filed by Eshwari Padmunja of the All India Democratic Women's Association against Bhat. In her complaint, she alleged that during a Deepotsava programme in Uppala, in Kerala’s Kasargod district, Bhat made remarks comparing Muslim women to pigs, saying they “give birth to children like piglets”.
Seeking quashing of the FIR, Bhat had approached the High Court and obtained a stay order.
When the matter came up for hearing on June 2, advocate S Balan, appearing for complainant Eshwari Padmunja, filed an application seeking vacation of the stay order.
“Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat continues to spew venom against a particular community. This amounts to a form of fratricide. A community that has lived in brotherhood is being destroyed. The court grants him bail and stay orders, but he uses those protections to commit further offences. In our stay-vacation application, we have submitted a list of 12 FIRs registered against Prabhakar Bhat,” Balan told the court.
Appearing for Bhat, senior advocate Arun Shyam submitted that Bhat is 83 years old and that the stay order should not be vacated.
When Balan attempted to read excerpts from Bhat's speech in court, the judges instructed him to switch off the microphone before doing so. Balan further argued for the vacation of the stay order, as Bhat has been delivering a series of highly toxic speeches that are unfit to be heard publicly.
Justice M Nagaprasanna directed that all cases already registered against Bhat be tagged with the present petition.
Balan also urged the court to pass an order restraining Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat from making hate speeches until the disposal of the stay vacation application. At this stage, Arun Shyam, representing Bhat, assured the Bench that “Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat will not make hate speeches hereafter.”
The matter, along with all cases registered against Prabhakar Bhat, has been posted for further hearing on June 16.