Kerala LoP Satheesan urges Meta not to block Sabarimala gold theft parody song

Thiruvananthapuram: Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Assembly, V.D. Satheesan, has written to Meta Platforms Inc., urging the social media giant to resist police requests to remove a viral parody song linked to the alleged Sabarimala gold theft. He warned that removing the content without a valid court order would constitute an unconstitutional restraint on free speech.

The song, titled “Pottiye Kettiye”, has been circulating online as a satirical take on the alleged disappearance of gold from the temple premises. The Thiruvananthapuram Cyber Police recently registered a case regarding the creation of the song and reportedly approached social media platforms, including those operated by Meta, to remove related links.

In his letter, Satheesan highlighted that there is currently no judicial verdict, court order, or statutory direction mandating the removal of the content. Citing consistent Supreme Court rulings, he argued that the right to freedom of speech and expression cannot be curtailed unless a clear, legally established violation is demonstrated. He emphasised that parody and satire are well-recognised forms of artistic expression protected under the Constitution, subject only to reasonable restrictions imposed through lawful means.

The Congress leader cautioned that allowing law enforcement agencies to secure takedowns without judicial scrutiny would amount to "prior restraint" and set a dangerous precedent for censorship, potentially causing irreparable harm to content creators. He urged Meta to refrain from disabling access to the links unless a competent court issues a specific directive, or if an independent assessment by the platform finds the content in clear violation of its own Community Standards.

(Inputs from IANS)