Now Reading: Centre told to remove derogatory Shirdi Sai Baba content in 24 hours
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Centre told to remove derogatory Shirdi Sai Baba content in 24 hours
The Story in Brief
The Centre on Thursday told the Delhi high court that it had directed intermediaries to take down within 24 hours allegedly derogatory and inflammatory content concerning Shirdi Sai Baba, saying it could hurt religious sentiments and spread rapidly if allowed to continue. A bench of Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma was hearing a petition filed by Shri Saibaba Sansthan Trust, Shirdi, seeking removal of the content against the deity.
The Centre's lawyer submitted that the decision was taken by its Grievance Appellate Committee (GAC) on August 13, in compliance with the court's previous order. The trust's lawyer, represented by senior advocate Pramod Kumar Dubey, submitted that though the GAC had taken the decision, some videos, including those on YouTube, and 200 URLs were yet to be taken down, and there had been further links containing the same content on other platforms. The links, the senior lawyer said, were derogatory, inflammatory and communally provocative.
Taking note of Dubey's submissions, the court further directed the Centre to look into fresh complaints and pass appropriate orders. The matter will be heard next on September 7. The petition said that the content had the potential to promote religious hostility and disrupt communal harmony.
Indian Opinion Analysis
Both Hindustan Times and Rediff present a largely neutral-report stance, sticking to court proceedings and trust submissions without editorialising. Hindustan Times leads with the Centre's 24-hour takedown directive, while Rediff foregrounds the court's instruction to the GAC and includes YouTube's refusal to adjudicate content veracity. Neither outlet criticises the government or the platform, nor does either adopt a sensationalist tone. The measured middle ground: the GAC has acted, but compliance is incomplete, and the court is monitoring. The next hearing on September 7 will test whether takedowns are enforced.
Coverage: 2 sources, 2 neutral
Sources (2): hindustantimes.com (neutral report), rediff.com (neutral report)
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above. Methodology and corrections.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
