Google told to remove hate speech videos on Sikhism

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NEW DELHI – A court here on Thursday directed Google India to remove from social media, including YouTube, all videos featuring a woman called Sakshi Bhardwaj who is making hate speech about Sikh gurus and Sikh religion.

The court also restrained Google India from uploading and publishing any videos containing hate speeches and derogatory remarks against any religion and in particular, against the Sikh community.

Additional Senior Civil Judge Jasjeet Kaur, after watching some of the videos, ordered the removal of all such videos of Bhardwaj and gave Google India seven days’ time for this.

“After going through the contents of the plaint and watching the videos, it prima facie appears that the uploader of the videos has made derogatory remarks against Sikh Gurus and their family members including mothers and wives,” the court said, observing followers of Sikh faith are likely to feel a grave insult to their religious sentiments by continued circulation of these videos.

“Moreover, social harmony and law and order situations is likely to get adversely affected”, if Google is not restricted from publication of the derogatory videos, the court said and listed the matter for November 22 for further hearing.

The court was hearing a plea seeking removal of hate speech videos against Sikh religion filed by railway official Gurcharan Singh Walia, 53, through his counsel Gurmeet Singh.

The complainant told the court that on October 28, he saw videos and photographs on social media where Bhardwaj was delivering a hate speech against Sikhism.