Stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court before the hearing on a contempt case against him stating if powerful people and institutions continue to show an inability to tolerate rebuke or criticism, we would be reduced to a country of incarcerated artists and flourishing lapdogs.
Kamra also refused to tender an apology for his tweet against the top court for which a contempt notice was issued against him. In his affidavit filed through advocate Pritha Srikumar Iyer, Kamra said, “Public’s faith in judiciary is founded on its own actions, not on criticism about it.” In his reply Kamra has stated that “Irreverence and hyperbole are essential tools for the comedic enterprise” and he did not believe that “any high authority, including Judges, would find themselves unable to discharge their duties only on account of being the subject of satire or joke.
“Humor attempts to blunt the grimes of the situation and offers a measure of comfort to the afflicted, ” the affidavit reads.
He has added that his tweets, for which he has been charged with contempt of court, were not meant to insult the Supreme Court but to raise issues he thinks are important for Indian democracy, and create conversations around them.
Kamra said he believed that there was a growing culture of intolerance in the country. “Taking offence is seen as a fundamental right which has been elevated to the status of a much loved national sport,” the comedian added.
Kamra faces contempt cases over his tweets attacking the Supreme Court for granting Republic TV editor-in-chief TV Arnab Goswami bail after his arrest in an abetment to suicide case. Eight people, mostly lawyers, have filed cases against him.
Last month, the top Court had issued notice to stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra and another comic artist Rachita Taneja on a batch of petitions seeking contempt action against them for “scandalising the court and lowering its authority by publishing tweets”.
The matter will listed after two weeks.
Final-Affidavit-of-Respondent-CP-Crl-2-of-2020