New Delhi: Amid loud protests from the opposition, the Karnataka legislative assembly on Thursday (December 18) passed the Karnataka Hate Speech and Hate Crimes (Prevention) Bill, 2025, in Belagavi. The legislation prescribes imprisonment of up to seven years along with a fine of Rs 50,000 for hate crimes.The Bill would cover communication made in public view through verbal, print, public, or electronic means. For people who commit hate crimes, the legislation prescribes imprisonment for a term not less than one year, which may be extended to seven years along with a fine of Rs 50,000. In case of repeat offence, the punishment would not be less than two years, which may be extended to seven years, besides a fine of Rs 1 lakh.While tabling the Bill, home minister G. Parameshwara cited a Supreme Court ruling delivered on May 5 this year, in which the apex court underscored the need for firm action against communal hate. He noted that hate speech had resulted in killings and inter-community violence, harming social harmony. According to him, the legislation was designed to protect constitutional values by addressing discrimination rooted in religion, race, caste, gender, language and other identities.Further, Parameshwara said the objective of the Bill is to curb and prevent dissemination, publication or promotion of hate speech and crimes, which “cause disharmony and hatred in society against a person or group of persons.”Explaining the rationale for a separate statute, the home minister said law enforcement could not rely indefinitely on preventive restrictions against provocative speakers. “If we get alerts that a person’s speech is going to create tension, we will ban him. How long can we do that? Therefore, a law is required,” he said, pointing out that such speeches were often followed by violent incidents.Under the Bill, the government is authorised to direct the removal of hate speech material from media platforms. Its scope includes communications made in public spaces through spoken word, print, public display or electronic media.Hate crime is defined in the Bill as “communication of hate speech, by making, publishing or circulating or any act of promoting, propagating, inciting or abetting or attempting such hate speech, to cause disharmony or feelings of enmity or hatred or ill-will against any person dead or alive or group of persons or organisation.”The Bill seeks to make hate speech a cognizable, non-bailable offence. Moreover, offenders can face trial at the court of the Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC). “In case of an organisation or institution, every person who, at the time of the offence, was in charge and was responsible, shall be deemed guilty and shall be liable to be proceeded against and punished accordingly,” the bill states.The Siddaramaiah-led Congress government had initiated discussions on a hate speech law months earlier in June, after a series of communal killings in coastal Karnataka, beginning with the lynching of a Muslim man, Ashraf, in April.Speaking against the Bill, Leader of the opposition in the Karnataka assembly R. Ashok tore up a copy of the Bill as Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislators entered the well of the House to register their protest. He argued that it infringed upon Article 19(1) of the constitution, which safeguards free expression. Further, Ashok claimed that the proposed law would be misused by the police for political purposes. “This is a weapon for the ruling government. To please some people, someone will be sent to jail,” he said, warning that journalists and opposition parties would also be targeted. He also suggested that provisions in the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita were adequate to address inflammatory speech.The debate grew more contentious after urban development and town planning minister Byrathi Suresh remarked, “After setting fire to the coasts, why are you spewing fire here,” in reference to BJP MLA Vedavyas Kamath, who represents Mangaluru City South in coastal Karnataka. Following the comment, BJP legislators demanded an apology and rushed to the well of the House, calling on speaker U.T. Khader to have the remark removed from the official record.As the uproar continued, Parameshwara appealed to the assembly to back the Bill. With opposition members protesting and unable to engage further, the speaker announced that the legislation had been approved through a voice vote before adjourning the House for lunch.BJP MLAs later said they were caught off guard by the passage of the Bill without their participation in the remaining debate. “There was no need to curtail the opportunity to discuss,” Ashok said. However, minister for law H.K. Patil underlined that the Bill had been passed and there was no chance to discuss it again.