'Satire Makes Life Beautiful: SC Says Quashing Gujarat Police FIR Against Congress MP Over A Controversial Poem

(MENAFN- Live Mint) Supreme Court on March 28 quashed an FIR registered against Congress MP and poet Imran Pratapgarhi by Gujarat police over a social media post with a poem 'ae khoon ke pyase baat suno...”

A bench of Justice Abhay Oka and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan , allowing the petition filed by Pratapgarhi, observed that no offence was made out.

In its judgment, the bench underscored the importance of protecting the freedom of speech and expression and reminded the Courts and the Police of their duty to uphold the rights of persons expressing unpopular opinions, legal news agency LiveLaw reported.

In a healthy democracy the views of thoughts expressed by an individual or group of individuals must be countered by expressing another point of view.

The top court said that freedom of expression of thoughts and views is essential for leading a dignified life, which is guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution.

“Free expression of thoughts and views by individuals or groups of individuals is an integral part of a healthy civilized society. Without freedom of expression of thoughts and views, it is impossible to lead a dignified life guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution,” the top court said.

'Even if a large number of persons dislike the views'

In the case's earlier hearing on March 3 , the bench observed that the poem "ae khoon ke pyase baat suno” was actually propagating a message of non-violence. The Court had then also said that the police ought to have shown sensitivity before lodging the FIR.

Pratapgarhi, the Congress Rajya Sabha MP , is also a noted Urdu poet.

“In a healthy democracy, the views of thoughts expressed by an individual or group of individuals must be countered by expressing another point of view. Even if a large number of persons dislike the views expressed by another, the right of person to express the views must be respected and protected. Literature, including poetry, dramas, films, satire, and art, make the life of human beings more meaningful,” the court said on Friday.

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