The Supreme Court has directed comedian Samay Raina to perform two shows every month for persons with disabilities.
The court said the purpose is to promote dignity, raise awareness, and support those who need public sensitivity the most.
The order came after Samay Raina made offensive remarks about disabled individuals during a stand-up performance. The court is hearing the case based on an NGO’s petition.
A Bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi issued the direction.
The Bench made it clear that Raina and other content creators must convince disabled persons to participate in their events.
The judges said Raina must use his platform to promote respect, spread awareness, and raise funds for medical care. The court will hear the matter again after four weeks.
CJI Surya Kant said he expects Raina to organise meaningful events before the next hearing. He added that this responsibility is a social burden, not a punishment.
The Bench reminded the comedians that they hold respectable positions in society and must act responsibly.
The court issued the order while hearing the NGO’s complaint. The petition accused Samay Raina of mocking a blind infant suffering from spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) during a comedy show.
During the hearing, the NGO described how Raina joked about a two-month-old baby who needed a ₹16 crore life-saving injection.
They said Raina even questioned whether the child would survive after receiving the injection.
In an earlier hearing, the court held that a public apology on stage was not enough. It directed all comedians involved to issue apologies on social media as well.
The Bench said no one can insult a person’s dignity in the name of humour or entertainment.
During the proceedings, Samay Raina, Nishant, Vipul Goyal, and Balraj Malik were present in court.
Sonali Thakkar joined the hearing through video conferencing. The court also noted that some of their lawyers argued that no direct petition was filed against them.
The Bench responded that a court summons cannot be taken lightly.
The Attorney General, Venkataramani, told the court that the Centre needs more time to finalise guidelines to regulate harmful content on social media.
The Centre informed the court that it plans to introduce a law to curb online abuse targeting disabled persons, women, and children.
Also Read: Social Media Regulation Imminent: Centre Briefs SC On Finalisation Of Content Rules
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