Karnataka's New Hate Speech Law: 7 Years Jail for 'Emotional Harm', Bail for Riots?

• Karnataka Assembly passed the 'Anti-Hate Speech Law' (Hate Speech and Hate Crimes Prevention Bill) to curb hate speeches and communal tensions.
• The law imposes up to 7 years imprisonment and a 1 lakh fine for 'emotional harm' caused by speech, gestures, visuals, or social media, even against deceased persons.
• Critics argue the law's broad definitions and severe penalties are disproportionate, potentially leading to harsher punishment for speech than for physical crimes like rioting.
• Opposition leader R. Ashok warns it's an attack on freedom of expression, fearing police misuse, extortion, and targeting of opposition/media.
• Concerns include potential criminalization of cartoons, memes, and even citing religious texts, raising questions about its impact on digital and press freedom.

Why It Matters: Karnataka's new hate speech law faces backlash for its strictness, broad scope, and potential misuse.