Among the many non-news stories hogging the headlines these days, is the Prashant Bhushan contempt matter before the Supreme Court. This relates to something tweeted by the senior advocate which the Supreme Court took great umbrage over. Leaving aside various urgent pending cases such as Habeas Corpus petitions, the challenge to the Article 370 abrogation, the migrant crisis and many others, the SC deemed a couple of tweets urgent enough to decide in the middle of a pandemic via virtual hearings. After giving Bhushan chances to apologise /retract, the SC finally held him guilty of contempt and imposed a Rupee 1 fine for the ‘crime’.
This is a screenshot of the tweets that resulted in the SC taking suo moto cognizance to initiate contempt proceedings. If you try to look for these tweets on Twitter, you will get this message: “This Tweet from @pbhushan1 has been withheld in India in response to a legal demand”.
There were several hearings and the SC gave Bhushan the chance to apologise for this tweets (which he refused to do; offering to submit to any punishment the court thought fit). Finally the court found him guilty and imposed a Rupee One fine.
This has been a case of the Streisand Effect. The tweets, which could otherwise have enjoyed a short duration of outrage and fame before being forgotten, became a question of freedom of speech and attracted the attention of the world press. The stand taken by Prashant Bhushan is likened to Gandhiji’s nonviolent resistance.
The Re 1 fine is the ‘punishment’, which, if not paid would attract a jail term and debarment. Bhushan, who had previously said that he would be willing to submit to any punishment, said he would pay the fine but reserved the right to appeal the court's decision.
Bhushan’s refusal to back down from his stance and the SC’s subsequent handling of the case is seen as a loss of face for the SC and a moral victory for the accused.
Twitter was obviously tickled at the ‘punishment’ handed down for something that the court claimed to be a grave crime.
The tweeple wondered why heavy fines are imposed for other transgressions while the SC has deemed fit to impose only a Re 1 fine for something that it deemed a threat to the ‘majesty and dignity’ of the court.
The punishment should be commensurate with the ‘crime’, feels this tweet.
Rupee one will now forever be associated with Prashant Bhushan feel people.
The one rupee coin in envelopes may now be substituted by this picture.
This tweet suggests the use of Bhushan’s picture at other places as well.
Some question the amount of fine imposed and the reason behind it.
Some feel that the SC has sent out a strong message by finding Prashant Bhushan guilty and imposing a token fine. However, others feel that this verdict is just an attempt to save face. In this view, the Supreme Court has shown itself to be thin-skinned and easily offended by criticism; having lowered its own prestige by claiming that two tweets could be so detrimental to itself and its dignity.
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