New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday declined an urgent hearing on a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking action over alleged derogatory remarks made against Prophet Muhammad in a viral social media video, asking the petitioner to first approach the police authorities and follow the ordinary legal process.
When the matter was mentioned before a Bench of Justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and Sheel Nagu, the apex court refused to entertain the plea for urgent listing at this stage and advised the petitioner to have faith in the legal process.
“The police are there. Have faith in our system. We are only the Apex; we are here to monitor,” the Justice Amanullah-led Bench remarked, adding that if every grievance was brought directly before the Supreme Court, lower authorities would cease to discharge their responsibilities effectively.
The apex court acknowledged the seriousness of the allegations but stressed that the prescribed legal procedure must first be followed. “It’s a grave thing, I agree with you… speaking for myself, I am very sensitive to it… but then there is a procedure. If that doesn’t work, come to us,” Justice Amanullah said.
The judge also cautioned against sensationalising sensitive issues, observing: “Don’t sensationalise these things. If one person has made a mistake, pin him down with the full force of the law.”
The PIL, filed under Article 32 of the Constitution by advocate-on-record Ansar Ahmad Chaudhari, seeks directions to the authorities to identify, remove and delete from social media platforms videos and posts allegedly containing defamatory and offensive remarks against Prophet Muhammad.
The petition also seeks directions to the Centre to frame and implement guidelines regulating the publication and dissemination of content on digital and social media platforms that is deliberately derogatory, offensive or insulting towards revered religious figures, including Prophet Muhammad and Bhagwan Shri Ram.
Further, the plea seeks safeguards to prevent the alleged misuse of online platforms for outraging religious sentiments and promoting communal disharmony.
According to the petition, the grievance arises from a viral podcast clip in which respondent Nazia Elahi Khan allegedly made remarks concerning Prophet Muhammad that, according to the petitioner, are derogatory and have deeply hurt the religious sentiments of Muslims.
The plea contends that the remarks were made during a recorded podcast and that the interviewer, despite having the opportunity to edit or remove the allegedly objectionable portion, published the podcast in its entirety, thereby facilitating its wider dissemination.
It argues that while freedom of speech is a fundamental right, it is subject to reasonable restrictions and does not extend to making deliberately offensive remarks against revered religious figures that are capable of disturbing public order and communal harmony.
The petition has arrayed, among others, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), YouTube, Facebook, X and Nazia Elahi Khan as respondents.
According to the list of dates annexed to the petition, an FIR was registered in Mumbai on June 23 in connection with the alleged remarks, following which the present PIL was filed before the apex court on July 2.
(IANS)
