India: Karnataka assembly passes hate speech bill

The new bill could see hate speech punished in Karnataka by fines or jail sentences of up to seven years. The opposition has criticized it for restricting freedom of speech.

The legislative assembly in the south-western Indian state of Karnataka on Thursday passed a bill to criminalize hate speech — despite protests from members of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's conservative BJP party who form the opposition in the state.

According to The Times of India, the "Karnataka Hate Speech and Hate Crimes (Prevention) Bill" broadly defines hate speech as expressions causing disharmony or enmity and contains provisions for victim compensation, fines and even jail sentences of up to seven years.

During assembly debates on the bill, Karnataka Urban Development Minister Byrathi Suresh said the coastal region was "on fire" with hate speech and hate crime.

Regional Interior Minister Gangadharaiah Parameshwara also cited a Supreme Court judgement from May 2025 which had stressed the need for efforts to stop spreading communal hatred through hate speech.

Karnataka BJP claims bill prevents free speech

However, the BJP opposition in Karnataka have questioned the need for the bill and criticized the manner in which it was passed.

Opposition leader Ramaiah Ashok claimed that the bill's objective was not to clamp down on hate speech but to target opposition parties and the media.

"Through this law, the state government is taking away people's right to speech guaranteed by the constitution, and putting leaders of opposition and the media behind bars," he said in comments quoted by The Hindu, claiming that existing laws were already strong enough to prevent such crimes.

The opposition also complained that the bill was passed while BJP lawmakers were outside the chamber staging a protest.

"There was no need to curtail the opportunity to discuss," said Ashok, demanding that the bill be referred to a house committee for further scrutiny, a demand which was turned down by the speaker.

Karnataka's Minister for Law, Hanumanthagowda Krishnegowda Patil, confirmed that the bill had been passed and said there would be no more opportunities to discuss it.

Edited by: Dmytro Hubenko