K’taka HC Stays Case Against Students in Derogatory Play on Dr. BR Ambedkar

The Karnataka High Court has recently stayed the proceedings in a case against seven students from Bengaluru Jain University Center for Management Studies.

These students were accused of violating the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act (SC/ST Act) by organizing a satirical play targeting Dr. BR Ambedkar and the Dalit community.

Single-judge Justice M Nagaprasanna issued the interim order in response to a plea by the seven students, seeking the quashing of the First Information Report (FIR) and the ongoing trial proceedings against them.

During the hearing, Senior Advocate S Sriranga, representing the petitioners, argued that the students had staged the play as a parody without any malicious intent. They highlighted that satirical literature has been a part of human culture for ages, aiming to critique ideas, concepts, policies, or individuals through humor, thereby protected under Article 19(1)(a) (freedom of speech and expression) of the Constitution.

The incident took place during the Yuva Janotsava event organized by the college on February 8 at the Nimhans Hall in Bengaluru, where the students presented a satirical short play (Mad-Ad skit) focusing on the reservation system.

However, allegations arose that during the performance, objectionable conversations about Dr. BR Ambedkar and the Dalit community were made, and the video of the drama quickly spread on social media, causing public outrage.

In response, the Assistant Director of the State Social Welfare Department filed a complaint on February 10, 2023, which led to the police registering an FIR under the Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, and subsequently arresting the students. However, the arrested students were later released on bail.

The students approached the High Court seeking to quash the case.