Chandigarh (April 25, 2013): According to certain media reports the Punjab and Haryana high court on April 25, 2013 ordered Punjabi rapper-cum-singer Honey Singh to present himself before the court on May 14, 2013 to respond to the allegations levelled against him for singing a song ‘Main Hoon Balatkari’ (I am a rapist).
As per information the High Court passed these orders after hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by a Nawanshahar NGO HELP.
The petitioner NGO, referring to above song as obscene, vulgar and highly objectionable song, had sought directions to set up some effective mechanism for curbing the menace of obscene, vulgar and lewd songs from the state of Punjab. It also sought that the state be asked to set u a Censor Board or frame some other policy to tackle the menace.
According to a news report by a web-based news portal YesPunjab.Com “Referring to a news report published in a English Daily, the NGO said that it needs to be looked into as to how vulgar and obscene songs are being recorded and played by certain Punjabi singers”.
The petition contains a specific r eference to a song ‘Main Hoon Balatkari’ sung by Rapper and Bollywood singer Honey Singh.
It has been contended in the petition that all limits of decency were being violated by such songs.
Alleging that “There is a spurt in the quantum of such obscene songs being recorded and played these days, but the Punjab government has not taken any steps to curb this growing menace” the petitioner referred to provisions of section 294 of Indian Penal code (IPC), according to which singing of lewd and obscene songs at public places is an offence.
The petitioner said that such acts were not covered under ‘right to freedom of speech’. The NGO also stated that women have the right to protect their dignity, as a facet of their fundamental right of “right to life”, and the fundamental right to dignity of a human being cannot be violated under the garb of “right to freedom of speech”.