Unblock Vikatan's website provided it removes Modi-Trump cartoon: Madras HC
The controversial cartoon published on February 10 depicted PM Modi shackled while meeting US President Donald Trump in a call back deportees being cuffed while being sent home from the US
Madras High Court (File)
CHENNAI: Popular Tamil publisher gets interim relief as the Madras High Court directs the Centre to unblock the magazine's website. The move, however, comes with the condition that the publisher take down the controversial cartoon depicting PM Narendra Modi.
Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy directed the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to file a counter to the petition moved by Anand Vikatan Productions Private Limited challenging the order passed to block the online magazine.
The controversial cartoon published on February 10 depicted PM Modi shackled while meeting US President Donald Trump in a call back deportees being cuffed while being sent home from the US. In the ensuing uproar, the Ministry of I&B ordered the takedown of the website, citing a complaint.
Senior counsel Vijay Narayan, representing Vikatan, submitted that the order blocking the digital magazine is against freedom of speech and freedom of the press under Article 19 (2) of the Indian Constitution.
The counsel argued that the cartoon criticising the PM does not affect the nation's sovereignty and integrity and does not affect India's ties with the USA, as claimed by the union government.
He further submitted that criticising a politician will not amount to a breach of sovereignty; it is a part of journalistic freedom and a common practice in magazines of several countries.
Representing the Ministry of I&B, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) ARL Sundaresan submitted that under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000, the caricature published by Vikatan is in breach of the sovereignty and integrity of the nation and also poses a threat to the relationship between the United States of America; hence, the website was blocked.
Hearing both sides, the judge questioned how the entire website could be blocked even if the caricature was against the country as alleged.
The ASG responded that the department could not block just the cartoon, but if the publisher blocked the same and informed the government, they could consider unblocking the site.
The judge then directed the Ministry of I&B to unblock the site if Vikatan took down the cartoon and informed the department. The matter was posted after two weeks.
