New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday indicated that it will examine the manner in which it can prevent circulation of Sardarji jokes on the websites.
A Bench of Chief Justice T.S. Thakur and Justice Uday Lalit told counsel Satinder Singh Gulati that when you represent Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) and say that a community is being bullied by such jokes, the court will certainly examine it.
The CJI told the counsel “we have asked counsel in two other petitions to indicate the areas which we can address in our order. We will certainly stop commercial exploitation.” The Bench directed that all the petitions be listed for further hearing on April 5.
Counsel said that perception plays a big role at various levels of decision making, be it at the level of executive, in the bureaucracy and even in the judiciary.
If this circulation of Sardar jokes be allowed to continue, depicting Sikhs as naïve, inept, etc. then, since it creates a stereotype image of Sikhs, it is also leading to undermine the contributions made by Sikhs for the independence of India.
He said there are many instances when Sardars face ridicule even in foreign countries about their lack of knowledge in English.
In its petition the SGPC said in the past it has filed complaints against such jokes, which are demeaning the Sikhs and portraying them as funny and idiot characters. Sikhs have been complaining against such jokes, which humiliates the Sikh community at large.
SC questions Centre on surrogacy
The Supreme Court on Thursday questioned the Centre on the logic in bringing a law to ban overseas citizens India (OCIs) from commissioning surrogate mothers in India to beget children for them.
A bench of Justices Ranjan Gogoi and N.V. Ramana asked senior counsel K. Radhakrishnan “under what authority of law you are banning surrogacy for OCIs when even the draft Bill does not contemplate it.”
Though the Bench wanted to stay the Centre’s notification dated November 3, 2015, it did not do so when counsel requested the court not to pass such a drastic order.
Counsel said it was the policy of the government that only “infertile Indian parents” would be allowed to commission surrogacy.
