'Objectionable' cartoons on PM, RSS: SC grants protection to cartoonist
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Tuesday granted protection from coercive action to a cartoonist accused of sharing alleged objectionable cartoons of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and RSS workers on social media.
A bench of Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Aravind Kumar, however, cautioned if he continued to share offensive posts on social media, the state was free to take action against him under law.
"We will have to do something about it," the bench said as it mulled passing orders on abusive social media posts.
Miffed over the alleged abusive online posts, it added, "Log kisi ko bhi, kuch bhi keh dete hain (People say anything to anyone)'."
Cartoonist Hemant Malviya challenged in the apex court a Madhya Pradesh High Court order passed on July 3 refusing to grant him anticipatory bail.
He was booked by Lasudiya police station in Indore in May on a complaint filed by lawyer and RSS worker Vinay Joshi.
Malviya hurt religious sentiments of Hindus and disturbed communal harmony by uploading objectionable material on social media, Joshi alleged.
Advocate Vrinda Grover, representing Malviya, on July 14 argued the issue related a cartoon made in 2021 during the Covid-19 pandemic.
"It may be unpalatable. Let me say it is in poor taste. Let me go to that extent. But is it an offence? My lords have said, it can be offensive but it is not an offence. I am simply on law. I am not trying to justify anything," she said.
Grover agreed to delete the alleged offensive post.
"Whatever we may do with this case, but this is definitely the case that the freedom of speech and expression is being abused," Justice Dhulia then observed.
Additional solicitor general K M Nataraj, appearing for Madhya Pradesh, said such "things" were repeatedly done.
When Grover said there should be some maturity, Nataraj said, "It is not the question of maturity alone. It is something more."
The FIR mentioned various "objectionable" posts, including allegedly inappropriate comments on Lord Shiva as well as cartoons, videos, photographs and comments regarding Modi, RSS workers and others.
Malviya's lawyer in the high court contended that he only posted a cartoon, but he could not be held responsible for the comments posted on it by other Facebook users.
The FIR accused him of posting indecent and objectionable material with the intention of hurting religious sentiments of Hindus and tarnishing the RSS's image.
The police invoked Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Sections 196 (acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony between different communities), 299 (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings) and 352 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) as well as section 67-A (publishing or transmitting in electronic form any sexually explicit material) of the Information Technology Act against the accused.
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Rickelton's ton in vain as SRH beat MI by 6 wickets
Mumbai (PTI): Ryan Rickelton's whirlwind unbeaten ton was overshadowed by Heinrich Klaasen's unbeaten 65 as Sunrisers Hyderabad defeated Mumbai Indians by six wickets in an IPL match here on Wednesday.
Chasing an imposing 244-run target, Travis Head (76 off 30) and Abhishek Sharma (45 off 24) shared 129 runs for the opening wicket to set the platform for SRH.
Klaasen (65 not out off 30 balls) then displayed his all-round hitting abilities to guide SRH home with the help of Nitish Kumar Reddy (21) and Salil Arora (30 not out off 10) in 18.4 overs.
Earlier, Rickelton's knock powered MI to 243 for five.
MI rode on a 93-run stand between Rickelton (123 not out off 55 balls) and Will Jacks (46 off 22) in 7.1 overs for the opening stand to power the side.
MI skipper Hardik Pandya scored a valuable 31 off 15 balls before being dismissed.
Praful Hinge (2/54), Eshan Malinga (1/29), Sakib Hasan (1/39) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (1/31) were the wicket-takers for SRH.
Brief Scores:
Mumbai Indian: 243 for 5 in 20 overs (Ryan Rickelton 123 not out; Praful Hinge 2/54).
Sunrisers Hyderabad: 249 for 4 in 18.4 overs (Travis Head 76, Heinrich Klaasen 65 not out; AM Ghazanfar 2/51).
