Supreme Court Rebukes Cartoonist for Inflammatory Modi, RSS Caricatures
India's Supreme Court criticized cartoonist Hemant Malviya as immature over his inflammatory caricatures of Prime Minister Modi and the RSS. Advocates argued for interim protection, citing satire. The court postponed the anticipatory bail plea hearing, following the Madhya Pradesh High Court's rejection due to misuse of free speech rights.
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- India
The Supreme Court of India on Monday reprimanded Indore-based cartoonist Hemant Malviya for publishing objectionable caricatures of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), labeling his actions as "inflammatory" and lacking maturity.
Appearing for Malviya, advocate Vrinda Grover assured the bench that the cartoonist would remove the posts and stated that while the caricatures may be distasteful, they do not constitute an offense. Grover also sought interim protection for Malviya, revealing that authorities were pursuing him.
Meanwhile, the High Court of Madhya Pradesh had previously denied Malviya's anticipatory bail, arguing that he misused free speech. Malviya defended his work as a satirical piece highlighting public concern over vaccine efficacy during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
(With inputs from agencies.)
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