Bengaluru, Dec. 11 -- The Karnataka government on Wednesday tabled in the assembly a contentious bill that ministers say will curb hate speech against marginalised communities but opponents say will criminalise thought and political rallies because of its provision of 10 years imprisonment and fines of up to Rs.1 lakh.

The Karnataka Hate Speech and Hate Crime (Prevention) Bill was cleared by the cabinet on December 4 and was tabled in the assembly by Home Minister G Parameshwara, fulfilling a key promise of the Congress government amid loud objections from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lawmakers.

According to the bill, any expression, which is made, published or circulated in words either spoken or written or by signs or by visible repre...