HC blasts newspaper for dragging vlogger's child into article, says media should self-regulate
New Delhi(PTI): Noting that it understands the freedom of speech "perfectly", the Delhi High Court said on Tuesday media should self-regulate and carry criticism that is just and fair, while voicing displeasure over a newspaper article critical of a vlogger dragging his child into it.
A bench headed by Justice Siddharth Mridul pulled no punches, as it conveyed its unhappiness over the newspaper referring to the child of the social media vlogger, insisting children shouldn't become a victim of propaganda.
You can say whatever you want to about him. But don't visit his family, saying that his child in all probability is going to be mentally challenged....The point is we are completely unhappy with any reference to that child, remarked the bench, also comprising Justice Amit Sharma.
We understand freedom of speech perfectly. But it is self-regulation and we are not saying so. A constitution bench of the Supreme Court, when it dealt with how to regulate media, said self-regulation. So, we expect you to regulate yourself and the standards of self-regulation have to be such that pass muster, the court said.
The court emphasised one should criticise the action and not the person.
Please debate it but don't visit the children. By all means you find his comments distasteful, please go ahead and express yourself but don't take it any further than that, the bench noted.
Drawing an analogy, Justice Mridul said whenever an order is passed by a court, the criticism has to be of the order and not the judges.
We are informed, we don't know, that a lot is said about us (judges) and it is not limited to us. We don't appreciate that....You criticise the order. You don't criticise us. That is just and fair criticism, he said.
The court was hearing an appeal by the newspaper challenging an order of the single judge directing it to take down the allegedly objectionable article.
The lawyer appearing for the newspaper said the vlogger was a public figure whose livelihood was based on posting videos of his and his family on internet , and the article mentions the criticism that he has received from several others for his conduct.
The court noted that the article called the vlogger a "misogynist" and a "child abuser", and asked the appellant to approach the single judge with all the record.
We were a little disturbed that you refer to somebody's child. The child shouldn't become a victim of any propaganda. We can't have that. Say what you will about the man. Criticise his actions, his speech but don't visit his children with such remarks. It is troubling. That we found very offensive, the court said emphatically.
Don't visit the children. They haven't done anything. Don't visit the family or the children, don't do that. That is something that in an appropriate case will have to be determined, it added.
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LoP Ashoka targets CM govt over corruption, says being 'shameless' in public life not forgivable
Bengaluru (PTI): Targeting Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and the Congress government in Karnataka on corruption, BJP leader R Ashoka on Friday said, being foolish was forgivable, but being "shameless" in public life was not.
The Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly claimed that in just 30 months of its tenure, the Congress administration has broken every previous record on corruption-related controversies.
He was responding to Siddaramaiah's post on 'X' on Thursday hitting back at the BJP, stating that Upa Lokayukta Justice Veerappa's claims of "63 per cent corruption" were based on his report in November 2019, when BJP's B S Yediyurappa was the CM.
"But Ashoka, without understanding the Upa Lokayukta's statement properly, has ended up tying the BJP's own bells of sins onto our heads and has effectively shot himself in the foot," the CM had said, as he accused Ashoka of foolishness for trying to twist Veerappa's statement to target the current government.
Responding, Ashoka said, "it is one thing to be called foolish in politics, that can be forgiven."
"But in public life, especially in the Chief Minister's chair, one must never become shameless," Ashoka posted on 'X' on Friday addressing Siddaramaiah.
Noting that the CM himself had admitted on the floor of the Assembly that a Rs 87 crore scam took place in the Valmiki Development Corporation, he said that when a CM acknowledges such a massive irregularity inside the floor of the House, the natural expectation is immediate action and accountability.
"But instead of taking responsibility, you continue in office as if nothing has happened. What should the people of Karnataka call this, if not sheer shamelessness," he asked.
Pointing out that the CM's Economic Advisor and senior Congress MLA Basavaraja Rayareddy had publicly stated that under Congress rule, Karnataka has become No.1 in corruption, Ashoka said, "Yet, you still cling to the Chief Minister's chair without a moment of introspection. What should the people of Karnataka call this, if not sheer shamelessness."
Senior Congress MLA C R Patil had exposed the "money for House" racket in the Housing Department and even warned that the government would collapse if the details he has were made public, Ashoka said.
"Despite such serious allegations from within your own party (Congress), you neither initiated an inquiry nor acted against the concerned minister. What should the people of Karnataka call this, if not sheer shamelessness," Ashoka asked the CM.
Highlighting the "40 percent commission" allegation Congress made against the previous BJP government, the opposition leader said, the commission that the Siddaramaiah government appointed concluded that the accusation was baseless.
"After your own panel demolished your own claim, what moral right do you have to continue repeating that allegation. What should the people of Karnataka call this, if not sheer shamelessness," he asked.
For the last two and a half years, Karnataka has been 'drowning' in corruption, scandals, irregularities and allegations across departments. Ashoka said, "If I begin listing every case that emerged under your government, even 24 hours would not be enough."
"And the most tragic aspect of your administration is this: the unbearable pressure, corruption demands and administrative harassment under your government pushed several officers and contractors into extreme distress - including the suicide of Chandrasekharan which exposed the Valmiki Development Corporation scam - a sign of how deeply broken the system has become under your watch," he said.
Instead of fixing this hopeless environment, the government has tried to bury every complaint and silence every voice, he charged.
"Being foolish is forgivable, but being shameless in public life is definitely not."
"When your own ministers admit scams, when your own advisors certify Karnataka as No.1 in corruption, and when your own MLAs expose rackets inside your departments - clinging to power without accountability is not leadership. It is shamelessness in its purest form." PTI KSU
Earlier on Thursday Ashoka had demanded that the corruption case and allegations in the state against the Congress government be handed over to a CBI investigation, citing a reported statement by Upalokaykta Justice Veerappa alleging "63 per cent corruption", following which Siddaramaiah hit back at the BJP leader.
