Kerala HC orders Meta to block activist's Sabarimala video

The Kerala High Court has directed Meta to temporarily take down a video featuring social activist Sunny M. Kapikad, after finding his remarks about the deities of Sabarimala offensive.

Justice G. Girish watched the video in court before arriving at the conclusion. The court held that allowing the clip to remain on social media would certainly wound the religious sentiments of Sabarimala worshippers. The video contains statements concerning Lord Ayyappa and Malikapurathamma.

The direction to remove the content was issued to Meta, which operates the platform hosting the URL. YouTuber Rahul Easwar, who moved the court as petitioner, told the bench that he would check whether other URLs carried the same video and furnish them so that they could be taken down as well.

Mr. Easwar's plea was not limited to removal of the content. He had also sought the registration of a criminal case against Mr. Kapikad, accusing him of attempting to promote disharmony between religious groups, making assertions that harm national integration, and deliberately outraging religious feelings. The petition invoked provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and the Information Technology Act, 2000.

The interim order applies to the specific URL placed before the court, with the petitioner expected to identify any further copies of the video for similar action.