Supreme Court weighs ban on derogatory jokes against sardars
What's the story
The Supreme Court of India has agreed to hear a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by lawyer Harvinder Kaur Chaudhary, seeking a ban on websites spreading derogatory jokes about the Sikh community. Chaudhary argued that such jokes depict Sikhs as "people of low intellect, stupid and foolish." The case will be heard by a two-judge bench, led by Justice BR Gavai and Justice KV Viswanathan, after eight weeks.
Case presentation
Petitioner highlights impact of derogatory jokes on Sikhs
In her presentation, Chaudhary emphasized how these derogatory jokes affect the Sikh community. She said such humor makes Sikhs an easy target for ridicule and racial abuse. Speaking from experience, she narrated how she faced similar issues while in the high court. "There are two interim applications. Women are being ridiculed for their attire. The children are being bullied by schoolmates. We suffer from the drop of thought. The jokes affect the human mind," she told the SC.
Bullying incident
Chaudhary recounts tragic incident of bullying due to Sikh identity
Chaudhary recalled a heartbreaking incident where a Sikh boy took his life after being bullied for his identity. "He was teased and was subjected to extreme bullying," she told the court, detailing how his head was flushed in a toilet and his hair was cut. "We are under Sikh attire, wearing turban and white suits. We are being ridiculed. Our grievances are not there in the suggestions given to the court," she said.
Legal action
Chaudhary advocates for legal action against offensive websites
After hearing the PIL, the court urged her to compile and give actionable suggestions. One of the proposed measures was to implement filters for offensive information on websites and social media platforms, which might be enforced by the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the Ministry of Telecom. The Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee supported the petition.