High Court admits plea against offensive Gandhi video

The Karnataka High Court has admitted a Public Interest Litigation Digital Society Foundation against Youtube.com, a video-sharing Internet website, for web-casting a controversial video that denigrates Mahatma Gandhi.

Admitting the petition filed by cyber law consultant N Vijayshankar and businessman Sathyachethan, representing Bangalore-based Digital Society Foundation, a division bench of Karnataka High Court headed by Chief Justice Cyriac Joseph has ordered issue of notices to Federal Ministry of Information Technology and Internet Service Providers’ Association, besides You Tube Inc.

The petitioners have also sought action against the US-based comedian of Indian origin Gautam Prasad for publication of the offensive video clip. They claimed that the video clipping depicts Mahatma Gandhi as a cartoon figure and also indulging in lewd striptease dance.

The petitioners have urged the court to initiate action that leads to blocking of the despicable video by issuing necessary directions to the Internet Service Providers Association. The court has been urged to establish a system that stops such illegal hosting of contents, which are offensive to Indian culture and ethos.

It may be recalled here that the controversial video had triggerred widespread outrage across the country earlier this year with the Federal Ministry for Information and Broadcasting threatening action against the controversial video-sharing website.

However, the video has remained on the website albeit with a caution to viewers not to watch if they feel offended.