New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday quashed an FIR against Congress MP Imran Pratapgarhi, filed in Gujarat over a poem he shared on social media.
The court strongly defended freedom of expression, calling it an “integral part” of a healthy civilised society. It criticised the Gujarat Police, stating that promoting enmity cannot be judged by “insecure people” who see criticism as a threat.
A bench of Justice AS Oka and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan stressed that poetry, satire, and art enrich life and are protected under Article 21 of the Constitution.
The Gujarat High Court had earlier refused to cancel the FIR. The Supreme Court overruled this, reminding courts and police of their duty to protect free speech.
“The most cherished right is free speech. Judges may not always agree with words spoken or written, but we must uphold the Constitution,” the court said.
The case against Pratapgarhi was based on a poem with the song ‘Ae khoon ke pyase baat suno’ playing in the background. It was perceived as a criticism of the BJP-led government.
The Supreme Court ruled that the poem was neither anti-religious nor anti-national. It urged the police to apply “reasonable restrictions” fairly and not in an obstructive manner.
