India
Comedian Kunal Kamra vs Contempt of court petition, refuses to apologise
Proceedings of Contempt of Court were initiated against the comedian over a series of tweets.
Comedian Kunal Kamra has refused to apologise to the Supreme Court (SC), after facing a case of contempt of court due to his tweets criticising India’s apex court. Kamra's tweets criticising the SC on the interim bail given to Republic TV's Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami within a week have been seen as a contempt of court, where Attorney General KK Vengopal stated that the comedian has crossed the "line between humour and contempt". Kamra has stated he does not intend to retract his tweets.
Refusing to apologise, Kamra issued his statement on Friday, endorsing his right to criticise the court, saying that all he tweeted was from his view of the SC giving a partial decision in favour of a “Prime Time Loudspeaker”. Kamra goes on to say, “My view hasn’t changed because the silence of the Supreme Court of India on matters of other’s personal liberty cannot go criticised.”
In fact, he has suggested that the time that the Court wishes to spend over him, must be utilised for other important hearings of those “who have not been as lucky and privileged as I am to jump the queue,” to quote him. He adds, “May I suggest the demonetisation petition, the petition challenging the revocation of J&K’s special status, the matter of the legality of electoral bonds or countless other matters that are more deserving of time and attention.”
No lawyers, No apology, No fine, No waste of space ЁЯЩПЁЯЩПЁЯЩП pic.twitter.com/B1U7dkVB1W
— Kunal Kamra (@kunalkamra88) November 13, 2020
The contempt of court charges were slammed on Kamra on the same day that human rights activist and poet Varavara Rao was denied medical bail by the Bombay High Court after the SC had asked the 81-year-old ailing activist to approach HC by the SC. Several activists, journalists continue to remain in custody without bail or even hearing, while Goswami, who is facing accusation in an abetment to suicide case, was given interim bail by the SC in a week’s time.
Interestingly, right-wing blogger Shefali Vaidya too had posted a tweet similar to that of Kamra’s after Goswami was earlier denied bail by the Bombay High Court, wherein she had written “India doesn’t have a justice system. What we have is a joke!” While Vaidya has now deleted the tweet, twitterati are questioning why Vaidya’s tweet has been spared, while Kamra is facing contempt of court.
