The Madras High Court today transferred a PIL seeking a ban on an article written by noted poet-lyricist R Vairamuthu on Goddess Andal to a division bench for hearing.
The first bench comprising Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice Abdul Quddose made an oral observation while hearing a PIL by M Mohideen Ibrahim, G Prabhu, A Victor and Kannan KVS seeking a ban on the article (titled 'Tamizhai Andal'), published in Tamil daily 'Dinamani' on January 8.
They wanted the article to be barred from being reprinted, published, circulated, marketed and sold.
The petitioners also sought a direction to the Tamil Nadu Home Secretary to impound all the copies of the article published so far.
"I know very little Tamil as I am an outsider, and so I recuse myself from the case," the chief justice made an oral observation.
Justice Abdul Quddose observed, "I don't know much about Tamil literature. I gathered the basic information through Wikipedia."
Advocate 'Mylai' S Sathya said Goddess Andal was defamed in the article.
"Every day, several derogatory remarks are being posted in the social media. Therefore, a 'peace committee', headed by a retired judge of the High Court, may be constituted," he added.
Justice Banerjee said several remarks were posted in social media, where there were comments on the judiciary and herself.
"We should show judicial magnanimity to ignore them. If we initiate contempt, it will blow up. Let it die down on its own. Sentiments, more particularly religious sentiments, should not be hurt," she said and posted the matter before another division bench headed by Justice S Manikumar.
The petitioners said "unnecessary complications" had arisen because of the article and even a case was filed against Vairamuthu.
They contended that freedom of speech and expression was available to all, but no person has the right to impinge on the feelings of others on the premise that the right was unrestricted and unfettered.
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