After Delhi Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee (DGPC) filed the petitions to ban  Sardar jokes, insulting the Sikh community, the Supreme Court said yesterday that, it would examine the petitions and take the appropriate decision soon.

Advocate Harvinder Chowdhury, who could not take the jokes on Sikh community, filed the first petition in the nature of a public interest litigation.   

The ferocity of the jokes and severity of its taunts went to such extent, where several Sikh community members have changed their names to escape public humiliation.

"This is an example of gross human rights violation as a person because of his birth in a community was being treated discriminately," she argued.

A bench, headed by Chief Justice Tirath Singh Thakur, asked whether "Singh" surname made one get subjected to such ridicule? "If that is so, then I too have a 'Singh' in my name," the CJI said in an attempt to inject some lighter moments during the high-pitched emotional arguments advanced by Chowdhury.

Justice Thakur further said, “Isn't it true that members of the Sikh community are large-hearted and the only community which has the capacity to laugh at itself?”

Chowdhury compared the jokes with "bullying" and opined that, there should be an enactment to stop this rampant violation of human rights of Sikh community members.  

Jokes on Sardars and the late Khuswant Singh are inseparable as the author published books compiling jokes on Sikh community members. When his name cropped up, Chowdhury said he might be a friend of the CJI but the jokes were certainly not appreciable as they were cracked at someone else's expense.

The CJI immediately clarified that Kushwant Singh was a client of his, when he was practising in Jammu and Kashmir High Court.

“Khuswant Singh had allegedly made a statement that lawyers were more interested in making money than justice. So, an advocate had filed a complaint against him for which he was summoned from Mumbai. In that connection he had consulted me,” CJI said.

The bench directed the registry to list Chowdhury's petition along with the one filed by the DGPC.

By Phani Ch