THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Opposition leader VD Satheesan has written to Meta, the parent company of Facebook, objecting to the Kerala Police directive seeking removal of links to the parody song "Pottiye Kettiye" from social media platforms.
In his letter, Satheesan argued that taking down the content without a court order would amount to a violation of fundamental rights.
"In a democratic society governed by the rule of law, any restriction on speech—particularly artistic expressions such as parody or satire—must strictly adhere to due process. Parody and satire are well-recognised forms of expression protected under the constitutional guarantee of free speech, subject only to reasonable restrictions imposed through lawful and judicially sanctioned means," Satheesan stated.
He further cautioned that administrative or police requests, in the absence of judicial sanction, should not serve as grounds for content removal. Such actions, he warned, could amount to prior restraint, set a troubling precedent for censorship, and cause irreparable harm to creators.
Meanwhile, the Thiruvananthapuram Cyber Police has registered a case regarding the creation and circulation of the song. However, Satheesan pointed out that no judicial verdict, statutory directive, or court order currently mandates its removal. He cited Supreme Court rulings affirming that the right to freedom of speech and expression cannot be curtailed unless a clear and legally established violation of law is demonstrated.