Bhubaneswar: The Delhi High Court’s verdict that ‘no criminality is involved if something is said with a smile’ has triggered a meme fest on Twitter.
While hearing a plea for hate speech in the Delhi riots case, Justice Chandra Dhari Singh said: “If you’re saying something with a smile, then there is no criminality, if you’re saying something offensive, then definitely.”
“Check and balance” is needed before filing FIRs over political speeches, he added.
The case pertained to speeches made just prior to the 2020 northeast Delhi riots by Anurag Thakur and Parvesh Verma.
Check how Twitterati have responded to the verdict:
Want to give hate speech?
It is now legal in India. A/C Delhi HC, if a person gives it with a smile then it’s not a criminal offence.#HateSpeech pic.twitter.com/dSNJEalcN9— Sadaf Shamim (@imSadafShamim) March 26, 2022
Judge deserved to be brand ambassador of pan pasand….#HateSpeech #Smile pic.twitter.com/5MVEBSmf9a
— VIDISHA◾️ (@vidisa128) March 26, 2022
Shoot with a smile then it is not killing #DelhiHighCourt #HateSpeech pic.twitter.com/I7Gp1O8CKl
— ✌️PeaceMongerᴾᵃʳᵒᵈʸ ᴴᵃᵗᵉ (@PeaceMonger143) March 26, 2022
Only God knows where it ends 🤐#DelhiHC #HateSpeech pic.twitter.com/wzjNlNtstL
— Arshad Moosa (@ArshedMoosa) March 26, 2022
#HateSpeech Hate speech with a smile is not a criminal offence. 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣🤣🤩🤩🤩#DemocracyUnderThreat #bjpexposed #FreeSpeech pic.twitter.com/s79hPFWEmk
— Jos (@josmanikvel) March 26, 2022
When someone smile
Indian Judiciary –#HateSpeech pic.twitter.com/tGFTrPumJz— dr_sarcasticboy (@dr_sarcasticboy) March 26, 2022
Now smile is the license for #HateSpeech pic.twitter.com/ezHPjJKnWb
— Shuja (@shuja_2006) March 26, 2022
Delhi high court says hate speech with smile is not a crime…
Le people….#HateSpeech pic.twitter.com/K8HJa3a4ZE
— TheKashmirFile (@file_kashmir) March 26, 2022
