The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) to suggest a mechanism by which any order banning jokes on Sikhs can be implemented.
The Bench headed by Chief Justice TS Thakur felt that so far as commercial exploitation by means of circulating electronic messages, text messages or production of advertisement is concerned, curbs can be imposed but it was practically impossible to stop persons from cracking jokes in the confines of their drawing room or even a public place such as a bar room or reading room.
The court gave a month’s time for SGPC to study this aspect after the apex Sikh body, supporting the ban on jokes against Sikhs, informed the court that they were in the process of framing guidelines on how to curb such jokes in public domain.
The Bench further pointed out that while dealing with one community, there may be similar demands from other communities who equally felt “humiliated” or “denigrated” when called by certain names. For instance, the Bench said, “There may be some people who complain of being referred to as ‘chinkis’ (possible reference to persons from North East). Even persons hailing from south India can object to be called ‘madrasis’. No community should be the butt of jokes. But question is how do we enforce our orders.”
The court is dealing with a PIl filed by one Harvinder Chaudhary who informed the court that Sikh community felt traumatised as people assume that members of this community have low levels of intellect. She later found support from SGPC and its Delhi chapter on this issue.