SC declines to consider plea to censor Kangana Ranaut's social media posts

The Supreme Court on Friday declined to consider a PIL for a direction to censor all future social media posts by Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut, for allegedly making sacrilegious statements against the Sikh community, especially in connection with the protest against the farm laws.

The plea was filed by advocate Sardar Charanjeet Singh Chanderpal, who appeared in person before the court.

A bench of Justices D Y Chandrachud and Bela M Trivedi told Chanderpal that the court respected his sensitivities but the more he gave publicity to her utterances on social media, the more he would help her cause.

The petitioner also sought clubbing of the FIRs lodged against her in many states at the Khar police station of Mumbai for allegedly making sacrilegious statements against the Sikh community.

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The bench said it is not possible for a third person to interfere, as the matter is between her and the state government.

However, Chanderpal contended that she had made several sacrilegious statements against the Sikh community and some form of action must be taken against her.

The bench, however, said that by giving her publicity, the petitioner was doing a disservice to his cause.

"There are two ways, ignore or take remedy under the law," the bench said, adding that for every wrong there was a remedy and the petitioner can avail it under the criminal law.

The plea sought direction to instruct all social media platforms to censor, modify or delete Ranaut’s posts before allowing its official release if it results in law-and-order problems in India.

The plea said Ranaut's utterances made on social media platforms like Instagram developed a sense of racial discrimination and hate based on different faiths and could lead to a lot of heated arguments and have the potency of triggering riots.

“The remarks are not only outrageous and blasphemous but also intend to cause riots, hurt religious sentiments, they were defamatory and portrayed Sikhs in a totally anti-national manner. It also justifies killing of Sikhs. The remarks are totally against the unity of our country and the actress deserves serious punishment. They cannot be brushed aside or excused," the plea, filed through advocate Anil Kumar said.

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