Senior Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi weighed in on the controversy surrounding comedian Kunal Kamra, criticizing the Maharashtra government’s crackdown on satire. Taking to his social media platform ‘X’, Singhvi remarked, “Maharashtra politics now has a new crime—comedy!” He condemned the vandalism, threats, and calls for an apology, highlighting how satire seems to offend more than scams. His statement has reignited the debate on freedom of speech and the growing intolerance towards political humor in India.
Madras: The Madras High Court has given an important decision regarding the Tamil weekly magazine Ananda Vikatan. On Thursday(6th March), the Court directed the Central government to unblock the magazine’s website (www.vikatan.com), provided a particular cartoon that was considered objectionable by the government is removed from the site.
Allahabad: The Allahabad High Court has ruled that every person in India has the fundamental right to choose or change their name. The court said this right is protected under the Indian Constitution.A man named Sameer Rao had filed a petition in the court, asking for his name to be changed from “Shahnawaz” to “Md Sameer Rao” in his school records. According to a report by media, his request was earlier rejected by the Uttar Pradesh Board of Secondary Education.
A case has been filed against popular YouTubers for alleged obscenity in the show India’s Got Latent. The FIR was registered after complaints that the content was inappropriate and violated Indian laws on public decency. Authorities are investigating whether the show broke rules under Section 292 of the IPC and the IT Act. This incident highlights the growing scrutiny of digital content and the legal responsibility of creators.
Today, On 6th February, The Supreme Court ordered protection for Discovery staff following threats over the documentary Cult of Fear: Asaram Bapu. The Court noted that requiring them to seek relief from multiple High Courts may not be feasible. It emphasized the need for security measures to ensure their safety. This decision comes amid growing concerns over intimidation faced by journalists and media professionals.
The Delhi High Court upheld an FIR against history professor Ratan Lal for allegedly hurting religious sentiments through a controversial social media post. Justice Chandra Dhari Singh stated that laws penalizing such actions maintain social harmony and emphasized that free speech must be exercised responsibly, especially by intellectuals.
Today, On 20th December, The Uttar Pradesh government told the Allahabad High Court that Mohammed Zubair, co-founder of Alt News, posted messages on X with “half-baked information” about Yati Narsinghanand’s speech. The state said these posts “harmed India’s sovereignty and integrity” and aimed to incite violence while encouraging separatist feelings. Additional Advocate General Manish Goyal shared these claims before Justices Siddhartha Varma and Nalin Kumar Srivastava.
Adish C. Aggarwala, a senior advocate, defended Justice Shekhar Kumar Yadav against an impeachment motion by Kapil Sibal, addressing allegations of hate speech. Aggarwala argued that judges, like other citizens, deserve freedom of expression and emphasized that voicing opinions does not justify impeachment. He criticized the motion as an attempt to intimidate the judiciary.
The Madras High Court denied a petition from the Tamil Film Active Producers Association to ban film reviews for three days post-release, emphasizing reviewers’ rights to express opinions. The court acknowledged concerns about defamatory reviews but upheld freedom of expression, issuing notices to relevant authorities, with further proceedings scheduled in four weeks.
