SC seeks list of incidents in which comedian Samay Raina ridiculed disabled

NEW DELHI: Supreme Court on Monday took adverse note of comedian

Samay Raina

ridiculing the exorbitant treatment cost of people suffering from

spinal muscular atrophy

(SMA) and asked an NGO, which sought regulations of free speech to curb taunting of disability, to list incidents of vacuous comments along with transcripts for consideration of appropriate action.
Seeking to intervene in the pending petition filed by influencer

Ranveer Gautam Allahbadia

, who faces FIRs in Maharashtra and Assam for his crass comments on parental sex during an ‘India Has Latent’ show, senior advocate Aparajita Singh told a bench of Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh that free speech must be regulated to the extent of curbing insensitive remarks on the disabled, who have a right to live with dignity.
The senior counsel, appearing on behalf of NGO

Cure SMA Foundation

, said the

insensitive comments

by the comedian had a debilitating effect as such remarks – for a two-month-old child, a treatment of Rs 16 crore! – result in perpetuating lack of receptivity towards the seriousness of the illness and impedes resource management for treatment of the person afflicted with the disease. The NGO alleged that the same comedian had even attempted to ridicule a visually challenged person.

It also drew the court’s attention to a widely circulated video on social media in which former cricketers Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh and Suresh Raina were seen limping and holding their backs to depict the impact of cricketing careers on their bodies.

“Unfortunately, the aforesaid video clips are only a drop in the bucket and there are numerous other instances where the media platforms have treated persons with disabilities (and their issues) as objects of derision, pity, or public entertainment. It is humbly submitted that free speech does not entail within its scope the liberty to speak loosely on such serious issues and sliding such statements off as humour or satire,” it said. The bench asked the senior counsel to prepare a list of such videos being circulated on social media, along with transcripts, and file it in the court along with her suggestions for further course of action.
Meanwhile, solicitor general Tushar Mehta, appearing for both Maharashtra and Assam where Allahbadia is facing investigation on FIRs lodged for his crass comments on parental sex, informed the court that while Maharashtra Police have completed probe and are ready to file chargesheet, Assam Police are awaiting questioning of one of the co-accused.
The bench posted the matter to be heard on April 28 to consider Allahbadia’s request for release of his passport as his counsel Abhinav Chandrachud said it was part of his livelihood to enable him travel abroad and fix interviews for his shows.