Kunal Kamra refuses to apologize for his jokes on SC

Kamra, known to be a staunch critic of the current federal government, courted controversy in November when he referred to the top court as "Supreme Joke of India" after Republic TV boss Arnab Goswami was granted bail in a 2018 abetment to suicide case.

Later, a law student approached Attorney General KK Venugopal, saying his tweets denigrated the top court.

Venugopal gave his consent for initiating contempt proceedings while noting that the contentious four tweets were "not only in bad taste but clearly cross the line between humor and contempt of the court."

On December 18, the apex court issued notices to Kamra as well as cartoonist Rachita Taneja.

She runs the Twitter handle "Sanitarypanels" and had also poked fun at Goswami's bail.

Now, in its affidavit, Kamra said that just like the top court holds in high regard the faith public has in it, "it should also trust the public not to form its opinions of the Court on the basis of a few jokes on Twitter."

"Public's faith in judiciary is founded on the institution's own actions and not on any criticism or commentary about it (sic)," he added.

He added that to think that any institution in a democracy can't be criticized is "like saying migrants need to find their way back home during an ill-planned nationwide lockdown; it is irrational and undemocratic."

Kamra explained that jokes are meant to make people laugh and those who don't laugh, sometimes don't react, for example, politicians who don't pay attention to their critics.

Kamra also asserted that a culture where taking offense is seen as a fundamental right is increasing.

"We are witnessing an assault on freedom of speech and expression with comedians like Munnawar Faruqui jailed for jokes they have not made and school students being interrogated for sedition," he wrote.

Just yesterday, the Madhya Pradesh High Court denied Faruqui's request for bail, again.

He added that should SC feel he crossed a line and shut his internet, he would pen Happy Independence Day postcards every "August 15 just like my Kashmiri friends."

Saying that he disagrees with numerous verdicts, Kamra assured he will respect any decision "and will not vilify this bench or the Supreme Court in this matter because that would actually (amount to) contempt of court."