The Supreme Court on Monday asked comedian Samay Raina and four others to publish apologies on YouTube and other platforms for making insensitive remarks against persons with disabilities..The Bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi also asked Raina and other comedians to respond to the suggestion of creating awareness about the issues faced by persons with disabilities.The Court was today told that Raina, Vipul Goyal, Balraj Paramjeet Singh Ghai, Sonali Thakkar aka Sonali Aditya Desai and Nishant Jagdish Tanwar have submitted their apologies in Court. Justice Kant remarked that Raina had initially tried to portray himself as innocent and then apologised."Today, it is disabled, tomorrow something else. How will the society be affected.. where will all this end?," Justice Kant remarked..The Court was hearing a petition moved by Cure SMA India Foundation accusing Raina of insensitive remarks over the high cost of treatment for Spinal Muscular Atrophy. Raina is also alleged to have ridiculed a person with such a disability.The petition has also sought regulations for the broadcast of such online content in violation of the right to life and dignity of persons with disabilities.In May, the top court had directed the Mumbai Commissioner of Police to ensure the presence of Raina, Vipul Goyal, Balraj Paramjeet Singh Ghai, Sonali Thakar aka Sonali Aditya Desai and Nishant Jagdish Tanwar in Court. Their appearance was exempted today..Today, Senior Advocate Aparajita Singh for the petitioner organisation submitted that the best cost would be to ask the comedians to spread awareness about the cause of persons with disabilities."What these influencers say matters. So these influencers can use their medium and take forward this issue and espouse the cause," she said.The Court then asked Raina and others to respond to the suggestion. However, it also made it clear that the question of cost or penalty would be decided later..We can take a joke, but influencers cannot hurt community sentiments: Supreme Court
