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SC to hear plea against websites hosting Sikh jokes in eight weeks
A plea highlighting grievances of women of Sikh community, who were ridiculed for their attire, besides showcasing the predicament faced by children bullied in schools has been filed by Harvinder Chowdhury.
The Supreme Court on Thursday said it would hear a plea seeking a ban on websites that display jokes on members of Sikh community, projecting them in a poor light. The apex court has scheduled the hearing for eight weeks from now.
A plea highlighting grievances of women of Sikh community, who were ridiculed for their attire, besides showcasing the predicament faced by children bullied in schools has been filed by Harvinder Chowdhury.
The petitioner informed the bench that she would consolidate her suggestions as well as the suggestions of other parties in the matter and file a short compilation.
A bench of justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan has granted Chowdhury eight weeks’ time and scheduled the matter for hearing thereafter.
During the hearing, the petitioner highlighted an incident wherein a boy allegedly ended his life owing to bullying in school, referring to an act of virtual bullying.
“You prepare a small compilation so that it becomes easier to go through it. It is an important matter. You have already got the suggestions. You can consolidate them,” the bench said.
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 pointed out the presence of 5,000-odd websites displaying jokes on Sikhs and projecting the members of the community in a 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.
