SC to hear after eight weeks plea seeking ban on sites with jokes on Sikhs

PTI, New Delhi, Nov 21, 2024 : The Supreme Court on Thursday said it would hear after eight weeks a plea seeking a direction to ban websites that display jokes on members of the Sikh community, projecting them in poor light.

     

"It is an important matter," observed a bench of Justices B R Gavai and K V Viswanathan.

Petitioner-in-person Harvinder Chowdhury informed the bench she would consolidate her suggestions as well as the suggestions of other parties in the matter and file a short compilation.

The bench granted her eight weeks and listed the matter thereafter.

During the hearing, Chowdhury highlighted the grievances of women of Sikh community, who were ridiculed for their attire, besides showcasing the predicament faced by children bullied in schools.

The petitioner, who cited an incident wherein a boy allegedly died by suicide owing to bullying in school, referred to act of virtual bullying.

"You prepare a small compilation so that it becomes easier to go through it," remarked the bench, adding, "You have already got the suggestions. You can consolidate them."

In October 2015, the apex court agreed to hear the plea following which more petitions raising similar grievances were filed in the top court.

The petitioner previously referred to the presence of 5,000-odd websites displaying jokes on Sikhs and projecting the members of the community in poor light.

The plea said such websites spreading jokes on sardars or Sikhs should be banned for violating the fundamental right to life and to live with dignity guaranteed under the Constitution.