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'Where will this end': SC asks Samay Raina to apologise for mocking disabled persons
Besides Raina, the other persons named in the case are Vipul Goyal, Balraj Paramjit Singh Ghai, Sonali Thakkar, and Nishant Jagdish Tanwar.
The Supreme Court of India has directed social media influencers, including Samay Raina, to display an apology on their podcast and programmes for ridiculing disabled persons.
Besides Raina, the other persons named in the case are Vipul Goyal, Balraj Paramjit Singh Ghai, Sonali Thakkar, and Nishant Jagdish Tanwar.
Following Monday's hearing, the Supreme Court has also called on the government to frame guidelines for social media to curb speeches offending or ridiculing disabled, women, children and senior citizens.
The top court further asked the comedians where the jokes will end, as it asked them to apologise on their podcasts. Furthermore, Sr Adv Aparajita Singh, who appeared for the foundation, called on the comedians to “spread awareness about the issue. Let them use their influence to take forward this issue. That would be the best apology.”
The five influencers were summoned by the Supreme Court of India over offensive and derogatory remarks made against persons with disabilities.
In May's hearing, the bench headed by Justice Surya Kant took strong objection to the comments made by Raina and the four influencers.
"There are people who seek fundamental right of free speech. If there is such freedom, then we will curtail any speech which demeans another community," said the top court.
The petition against the influencers was filed by CURE SMA (spinal muscular atrophy) Foundation of India, citing insensitive jokes made by Raina, Vipul Goyal, Balraj Paramjit Singh Ghai, Sonali Thakkar, and Nishant Jagdish Tanwar.
In the arguments before the court, the expressions used to mock people with disabilities by Raina and the others amount to "hate speech".
The foundation also presented video evidence of the influencers in which they are seen ridiculing persons suffering from SMA, a rare disorder, and also those suffering from other disabilities on their show.
"These videos shed light on the widespread irresponsible, insensitive and violate dissemination of such online content that contravenes the rights of the persons with disability under Article 14 and 21 of the Constitution of India, propels offensive stereotypes and misguided portrayals against them, and detrimentally impacts their societal participation, and fosters insensitivity and inhumanity against them, and as such falls within the reasonable restrictions under Article 19(2)," said the petition as per ANI.
This is not the first time Raina has been rapped by the Supreme Court for his remarks. Raina, along with Ranveer Allahbadia, was summoned by the top court for controversial remarks made on the comedy show 'India's Got Latent'.
