The Delhi high court on Wednesday dismissed a plea seeking directions to singer and rapper Yo Yo Honey Singh to amend the lyrics of his new song ‘Maniac’, stating that “vulgarity doesn’t have any religion” after the petitioner alleged that the song sexualised women using Bhojpuri lyrics.
The high court bench of chief justice DK Upadhyay and justice Tushar Rao Gedela made the remarks while hearing a plea filed by Luv Kush Kumar after his counsel asserted that the song allegedly normalised vulgarity by using Bhojpuri language and sexualised women.
“Vulgarity doesn’t have any religion. It should be unqualified. Never ever say Bhojpuri vulgarity. What is this? Vulgar is vulgar. Obscene is obscene,” the bench told Kumar’s counsel.
In his plea, Kumar said the song promoted explicit sexualisation, used double entendre, by depicting women as “objects of sexual desire.” It went on to add that the song had garnered significant attention for its vulgar and explicit content and its lyrics are filled with crass language, objectification of women, and inappropriate references contributing to a culture of disrespect and sexism.
The court remarked that Kumar’s petition was not maintainable since he was seeking relief against a private person. “We can’t issue any writ. Writs are issue against states, state instrumentality. Your matter is not in the realm of public law but private law. Writ petition would not lie,” the bench said.
The court, however, suggested Kumar to pursue other remedies under law, including registration of a criminal case. “If it’s an offence and is cognisable, why can you not file an FIR? If it’s a criminal offence, please lodge an FIR, if it is not lodged, you know the procedure,” the court said.
