Stop harassment of artistes

The Supreme Court has categorically ruled that all the criminal complaints against the young actress who became an Internet sensation overnight should be stayed. Priya Prakash Varrier caught the nation’s fancy with just a wink in her debut film on adolescent love in school, with millions looking her up on Instagram and other social media. Certain Muslim groups objected Priya’s song picturised in a promotional video on YouTube, and an FIR and several criminal complaints were registered against her and the film’s director and producer in Telangana and Maharashtra. Fringe groups took offence from distorted accounts of the traditional Mapilla song, popular for decades in Muslim-dominated Kerala areas. A fatwa was issued against a young girl and threats made to her well-being.

The court’s action upholds the freedom of speech and expression and is significant as otherwise any artistic venture could be targeted like this. In a series of rulings on Padmaavat and other films, the court has ruled consistently and sustained the sacred principles of freedom of speech in a democracy. Regardless of which religion the objectors belong to, it is obvious they tend to take offence for the sake of opposing something and take delight in harassing artistes and film people by dragging them into legal battles in courts and police stations across the country. Only the Supreme Court can protect people from such harassment. While hate can be easily whipped up in these times of instant communications, the law must be empowered even more to stop this trend of spreading wanton disaffection for no reason at all.