'You Can't Be Attached To Your Reputation': Judge's Dig At Aniruddhacharya

Religious orator Aniruddhacharya, who often imparts life lessons to his followers, was on the receiving end in the Delhi High Court as the judge pointed out that he should be above criticism and not be attached to his reputation. The religious preacher has approached the court after viral video clips of his remarks sparked controversies, inviting a litany of cases. The high court said it would grant interim protection of the religious leader's personality rights.

Right after Aniruddhacharya's counsel mentioned the matter, Justice Tushar Rao Gedela questioned why he had come to the Delhi High Court when the religious preacher is in Vrindavan. As the lawyer started to reply, the judge said, "Impugned material is on Mars also, maybe Jupiter also. Where are these websites accessible? Who is accessing it here?"

The lawyer argued that most of the religious leader's viewership is based in Delhi.

The court replied, "Why here? Tell us why it is such an issue to go elsewhere? Why not there? You have jurisdiction all over the world, including Timbaktu. Why not Timbaktu? Please tell us. If the Calcutta High Court passes an order, will Google and others not carry it out? The courts at Allahabad and Lucknow won't do it?"

When the preacher's counsel replied that his businesses were based in the national capital, the judge said, "Oh, you have companies also?"

The judge went on to say that he wants to "understand this love for Delhi". "Why is this extraordinary jurisdiction put on us when the whole country's High Court and District courts are available? There is no civil court that cannot pass the same order," he said.

Justice Gedela added a piece of advice. "Speaking off the record, you are supposed to be above all this. You are above criticism, appreciation and recognition; you are above every desire. You are not attached to your reputation. Are you? Can't be. If you are, it would be antithetical to what you propound," he said.

Aniruddhacharya's counsel said the viral video clips would harm his image. "I will not be taken seriously with what is circulated."

"The question is that if you propound a philosophy, there will always be someone who would not agree with it. A person technically has a plausible right to dispute what you say. Adi Shankaracharya never went around filing defamatory suits, he used to debate and tell them that you are wrong," the judge said.

The preacher's counsel then took the court through comments from a social media handle and said clips of his remarks are being uploaded on a betting and gaming website. "Some content is put by artificial intelligence, it has been projected as if I am saying... that is actionable," he said.

At one point, the judge told the preacher's counsel. "You also have to understand a lot of things. When you propound something of this nature? You are not a personality like a film actor. For them, maybe it is another way of getting more popular."

The counsel said Aniruddhacharya's concern is not monetisation or commercial exploitation by use of his videos. "For me, my reputation is such that if even one believer starts believing..." The court said that would not reflect on the preacher. "It means belief is weak; it is not a reflection on you."

The counsel then pointed to deepfakes and said he is being shown as making remarks that he did not. The judge acknowledged this and passed an interim order to protect the preacher's personality rights.