Supreme Court (SC) has recently highlighted the intolerance and bias behind the series of mob lynching incidences.
It has called for a special law to deal with lynching comprehensively.
What are trends in mob violence over the recent years?
Since 2014, organised vigilant groups had gone on rampage against cattle traders in the name of cow protection.
Notably, the Supreme Court had previously reminded the central and state governments that they can’t be mere spectators to violent acts by cow mobs.
But mob vigilantism has taken a new dimension in recent times with impulsive and unplanned acts of violence being directed at unsuspecting outsiders.
It is alleged that rumours on social media sites that “child kidnappers” are frequenting localities is said to have caused the current spree of incidences.
Whenever residents see an outsider against whom there is an already inherent biased perception, they tend to unleash a fatal fury on them.
Vigilant violence in a socio-political framework is clearly linked to disrespect for an inclusive social order, rising intolerance and growing polarisation.
The SC’s has therefore spelt out a clear criticism of the “prevalent socio-political mood of the society”, which it thinks is causing mob violence.
What has the court suggested?
Supreme Court has asked all States to appoint nodal officers in each district to curb such mobs and also plug the spread of misinformation.
Besides directing specific preventive, punitive and remedial measures, the SC has also mooted the idea of making lynching a separate offence by law.
While this may not be a significant deterrence in legal terms, it helps in reiterating the message that mob lynching is indeed a serious offence.
Any new law needs to comprehensively address the issue by encompassing the actual mob, and accessory criminals like - rumour mongers, and instigators.
While the extent of punishments for each of those responsible for the incident is another issue, all those involved nonetheless need to be indicted.
