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India's Got Latent Row: Why is Samay Raina summoned again by Supreme Court? Know everything about this controversy
Amid India's Got Latent row, Samay Raina and five more individuals have landed in trouble again for their insensitive remarks on the controversial show.
Trigger Warning: This article contains mention of insensitive remarks.
Samay Raina and his hosted show India's Got Latent has made the headlines again, and now for a new issue. The Supreme Court has summoned Samay and four others, asking them to personally appear before the court for reportedly making insensitive remarks about individuals and disabilities. They were summoned in connection with a petition filed by an NGO accusing them of mocking individuals with disabilities.
According to an ETimes TV report, a bench headed by Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh issued summons against Samay Raina and four others. The bench also directed the Commissioner of Police, Mumbai, to present Samay Raina, Vipul Goyal, Balraj Paramjeet Singh Ghai, Sonali Thakar alias Sonali Aditya Desai, and Nishant Jagdish Tanwar for the next hearing.
The bench warned that serious actions would be taken against them if they failed to appear before the Supreme Court. Justice Kant remarked, "Hate speech or any speech meant to demean another… this kind of freedom, if it exists, we will curtail it."
For the uninformed, the court is considering a plea made by Cure SMA Foundation of India, a non-government organisation promoting the rights of people with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). The foundation accused Samay of his insensitive and unacceptable comments on a blind person and a two-month-old baby. While the infant suffered from SMA or Spinal Muscular Atrophy, the child required Rs 16 crore as a donation for treatment.
The petition sought a ban on derogatory and ableist digital content. It recommended the formulation of stringent guidelines to ensure the dignity and rights of people with disabilities in online media.
Senior lawyer Aparajita Singh, who appeared for the NGO, contended that the content in question had "deeply damaging and demoralising effects" on the disabled community. "These influencers carry weight with their words. Their comments influence the attitude of an entire generation," Singh said.
This controversy occurred on India's Got Latent. However, following the uproar, all episodes have been pulled down.
