KARNATAKA: Deputy Chief Minister and state Congress president D.K. Shivakumar defended the introduction of the Karnataka Hate Speech and Hate Crimes (Prevention and Control) Bill, 2025, saying that the new law was essential to uphold the constitutional values and rein in the hate speech.
He was speaking to reporters outside Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in Belagavi on Thursday.
The Congress government tabled the Bill in the Assembly on Wednesday, drawing sharp objections from the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party.
Asked about the opposition to the Bill, Shivakumar said, “The BJP and its leaders are the pioneers of sowing hatred among castes and religions, and of personal attacks. They should conduct themselves according to the spirit of the Constitution. If they truly respect the Constitution, they must follow it.”