The Supreme Court’s stinging rebuke of YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia should serve as a wake-up call to all those who believe they can pollute public discourse under the guise of free speech. While the court has granted him temporary relief in the infamous India’s Got Latent fiasco, it did not mince words in condemning his appalling, perverted, and utterly disgraceful comments. And rightly so. During the hearing, Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh pulled no punches, outrightly calling out the depravity of Allahbadia’s remarks. His so-called ‘joke’ was so repugnant that even his own counsel found himself in the uncomfortable position of having to defend it. The Supreme Court’s verdict was crystal clear: this was obscenity in its filthiest form. If this is not vulgarity, then what is? It is an indictment of our times that individuals like Allahbadia think they can get away with vomiting such depraved filth into the public domain. The joke in question—so vile that it’s hardly worth repeating—was nothing short of a direct assault on decency, morality, and every shred of dignity our society holds dear. The fact that he dared to utter such words on a public platform is a testament to the unchecked degeneracy running rampant in digital spaces today.
And what is his defense? That he is being threatened online? Justice Kant hit the nail on the head: those who peddle in cheap publicity should not be surprised when others try to gain notoriety in the same manner. The digital world may be an open playground for content creators, but it cannot—and must not—become a cesspool where depravity is normalized under the pretense of humour. This incident is more than just an isolated act of stupidity—it is symptomatic of a larger, more dangerous culture where influencers, comedians, and self-proclaimed entertainers believe they can say anything without consequences. But enough is enough. The time for mere condemnations has long passed. We need iron-clad legislation that criminalizes such blatant abuse of public platforms. The Union Information and Law Ministries must take immediate action to draft and implement strict laws that clamp down on not just obscenity, but also the reckless abuse of religious sentiments online. The West—despite its liberal leanings—does not tolerate such blatant filth, so why should India? We cannot afford to let social media descend into a lawless wasteland where every perverted mind can spew venom without fear. The Supreme Court may have granted Allahbadia temporary respite, but its warning must not be ignored. It has also banned the YouTuber and his associates from posting anything on social media—a major blow and a strong message from the apex court. His 4.5 million followers may be crestfallen, but this is a moment of reckoning for our society. If we fail to act now, the rot will spread unchecked. Only strong laws, enforced without hesitation, can put an end to this menace once and for all.