Lucknow Bench Of Allahabad High Court Orders Removal of Derogatory Social Media Content Targeting Jagadguru Ramabhadracharya
The Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court has taken serious cognisance of derogatory remarks made against Jagadguru Swami Ramabhadracharya on Facebook and other social media platforms.
The court directed that all defamatory and abusive online content targeting the spiritual leader be removed within 48 hours, provided the URLs of the objectionable posts are furnished to the authorities.
A division bench comprising Justice Shekhar B. Saraf and Justice Prashant Kumar passed the order while hearing a writ petition filed by the disciples and followers of Swami Ramabhadracharya.
The petitioners had sought the immediate removal of offensive and derogatory content circulating on various digital platforms.
Petitioners’ Plea and Allegations
The petitioners approached the High Court last month, expressing grave concern that despite formal complaints to both central and state authorities, no concrete action had been taken to remove the defamatory material or penalise those responsible.
Represented by advocate Ranjana Agnihotri, the eight petitioners cited multiple legal provisions, including Section 98 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023, the Information Technology Act, 2000, and the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016.
They argued that the videos and posts not only defamed a respected religious leader but also mocked his disability, thereby violating both cyber laws and disability rights statutes.
The complaint specifically named a YouTuber from Gorakhpur, Shashank Shekhar, accusing him of uploading derogatory and abusive videos against Swami Ramabhadracharya across multiple social media channels.
Targeted Mockery of Disability Condemned
The petition noted that Swami Ramabhadracharya — who lost his eyesight at the age of two months — had been subjected to demeaning and insensitive comments regarding his blindness.
The followers termed this not just an attack on his reputation but a humiliating affront to the dignity of persons with disabilities, in direct violation of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act.
The petition also recalled a similar incident in 2008, when a magazine titled Prakhar Vichar / Prakhar Aastha had published defamatory material about the Jagadguru.
Legal and administrative action taken at that time had led to the successful redressal of the issue.
According to the petitioners, the latest round of offensive videos surfaced on September 17, 2025, and have since spread widely on social media, causing immense emotional distress among Swami Ramabhadracharya’s followers.
Court’s Firm Stand on Digital Defamation
After hearing the arguments, the High Court directed that the offending content be removed within 48 hours, subject to the URLs being shared with the authorities. The court’s order highlights growing judicial concern over online harassment, defamation, and misuse of digital platforms to target religious figures and other public personalities.
The directive also sends a broader message that social media freedom does not extend to spreading hatred or mocking physical disabilities — a stance consistent with India’s constitutional values of dignity and equality.
Who is Jagadguru Swami Ramabhadracharya?
Jagadguru Swami Ramabhadracharya, born Girdhar Mishra, is a renowned Hindu spiritual leader, philosopher, scholar, and orator. Based in Chitrakoot, he is one of the four current Jagadgurus of the Ramananda Sampradaya, a position he has held since 1988.
He is also the founder and lifelong chancellor of the Jagadguru Ramabhadracharya Divyang University, the world’s only university dedicated exclusively to the education and empowerment of persons with disabilities.
Swami Ramabhadracharya established the Tulsi Peeth in Chitrakoot and has authored four epic poems—two in Sanskrit and two in Hindi. He is regarded as one of the foremost contemporary scholars on Goswami Tulsidas and the Ramcharitmanas.
In recognition of his spiritual, literary, and social contributions, he was awarded the Padma Vibhushan — India’s second-highest civilian honour — by the Government of India in 2015.
The High Court’s order stands as a stern reminder that online defamation and mockery of disability are punishable offences, and that digital accountability is essential to preserving public decency and respect in India’s cyber ecosystem.
#AllahabadHighCourt #JagadguruRamabhadracharya #SwamiRamabhadracharya #LucknowBench #DefamationCase #CyberAbuse #SocialMediaMisuse #DigitalRights #OnlineDefamation #FreeSpeechLimits #RespectForDisability #RightsOfPersonsWithDisabilities #ITAct2000 #BNSS2023 #BNS2023 #TulsiPeeth #Chitrakoot #PadmaVibhushan #RanjanaAgnihotri #IndianJudiciary #DigitalAccountability #FaithAndLaw #CyberLawIndia #JusticeForRamabhadracharya #OnlineHarassment #YouTuberControversy #LegalNews #HighCourtOrder #SocialMediaEthics
