Saralnama
The Supreme Court of India on August 25 directed YouTubers and comedians, including Ranveer Allahbadia and Samay Raina, to issue public apologies for mocking persons with disabilities in their online content and stand-up shows, warning of financial penalties for future violations. The order followed controversial remarks made during the show India's Got Latent and a plea by the SMA Cure Foundation against several comedians for insensitive jokes about disabled persons. The bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi emphasized that humor should not breach sensibility or hurt vulnerable communities, noting that influencers commercialize speech. The court instructed the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to draft guidelines for language on social media to protect the dignity of persons with disabilities, consulting the National Board for the Welfare of Persons with Disabilities and other stakeholders. The influencers confirmed they had submitted unconditional apologies and were directed to post these across their platforms, including YouTube and podcasts. The court indicated that penalties could be imposed if such conduct recurs. (Updated 25 Aug 2025, 12:26 IST; source: link)