“I was dressed in a kurta and shorts; if a cameraman errs, that doesn’t justify defamatory remarks like ‘I’m coming from a PMO meeting,” Bhatia said.
“People on social media cannot be allowed to use derogatory words like nanga (nude) with reference to my appearance on TV. I stand before you because reputation is earned over decades,” he said.
Justice Bansal, however, observed that Bhatia, being in politics, “should be thick-skinned.”
Advocate Raghav Awasthi, appearing for Bhatia, reiterated that his client was wearing shorts and that the cameraman mistakenly focused on the lower half of his body.
He argued that objectionable remarks and memes circulating on social media must be taken down as they infringe on Bhatia’s right to privacy.
The defamation suit has sought removal of posts shared by the Samajwadi Party’s media cell, news platform Newslaundry, AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj, Congress leader Ragini Nayak, and journalists including Abhisar Sharma.
Bar and Bench report, further added, Advocate Mamta Rani Jha, appearing for Google, submitted that some of the links flagged for takedown by Bhatia had no connection with the incident in question.
