The Supreme Court on Tuesday stayed a Kerala High Court order restricting activist Rehana Fathima from printing, posting or publishing her views on media, ANI reported.
In November last year, the High Court had issued the order, following a complaint against Fathima for allegedly hurting religious sentiments by posting a cooking video captioned “Gomatha Ularthu” and repeatedly referred to beef as “gomatha” (mother cow) while narrating the recipe. The court had held that the video was in violation of her bail conditions in a separate case in 2018, which was in relation to publishing derogatory materials about Lord Ayyappa of Sabarimala, reported Bar and Bench.
However, on Tuesday, Supreme Court’s bench of Justice Rohinton Nariman stayed the order, noting that it was “a complete gag”, according to Live Law.
Appearing for Fathima, Senior Advocate Colin Gonsalves contended that the bail condition of the 2018 case that barred Fathima from publishing, disseminating or sharing any material of her comments through media, should be set aside or stayed.
The Supreme Court agreed to stay this condition, but added that another bail condition that bars Fathima from sharing or disseminating comments that has “the propensity to affect, the religious feelings or sentiments of any community or group of society”, will continue to be in effect, Live Law reported.
In 2018, Fathima had made news after she tried to enter the Sabarimala temple following the Supreme Court’s order that allowed women of menstruating age inside the temple. She was unsuccessful in her attempt. The same year, she made news for posting pictures on social media with watermelons covering her breasts in protest against the sexist comments of a college professor.
In June last year, she made headlines again after she posted a video showing her children painting on her semi-nude body, with the heading “Body Art and Politics”. Fathima was charged under the Protection Of Children from Sexual Offences or POCSO Act and the Information Technology Act. Expecting arrest, she had sought anticipatory bail. On August 7, the Supreme Court had dismissed her plea, following which she surrendered before the police two days later.
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