Do Sardars feel bad about Santa Banta jokes on them? If so, the Supreme Court on Monday said it will seriously consider examining a plea to ban websites displaying jokes on them.
“If we think that your community do feel bad about it, we will definitely seriously consider it,” a bench comprising Chief Justice T S Thakur and Justices A K Sikri and R Banumathi said.
“Does your community stand by you,” the bench asked a Sikh woman lawyer Harvinder Chowdhary, who has filed a PIL in this regard. She said Delhi Sikh Gurduwara Management Committee(DSGMC) has also filed a petition on the same issue and they are engaging a battery of senior advocates including Ram Jethmalani to argue the matter.
While the woman advocate was making submissions, the bench intervened and asked Additional Solicitor General PS Patwalia to express his views on the issue being a Sardar himself. However, before he could say something, the woman lawyer continued to make submissions in high pitch, prompting the ASG to comment that “she is getting over-excited”.
Later, at the end of the proceedings, Patwalia said, “we have taken things seriously.” The bench said that matter will be heard along with the petition of the DSGMC. During the hearing, the bench wanted to know from the woman lawyer as to “who will determine that a particular joke is derogatory.”
She also had reservation about the jokes and outspoken comments of noted Sikh author Khushwant Singh.