HC Orders Social Media to Remove Criticisms of Interview with Manu Bhaker

The Delhi High Court has directed several social media users to remove posts criticizing journalist Rohan Dua over his recent interview with Indian shooter Manu Bhaker, following allegations of sexism. The court issued an interim order on Monday, instructing the social media handles to delete the contentious posts within a week.

Justice Navin Chawla's order comes after Dua's legal team submitted an affidavit affirming that Bhaker had endorsed the interview, thereby disproving claims that she found the questions posed to her offensive. The affidavit indicated that Bhaker's team had approved the interview, and Bhaker herself had shown no issues with it.

The interview, conducted after Bhaker's impressive performance at the Paris Olympics, where she won two bronze medals, included a segment in which Dua asked Bhaker about photos with fellow Olympian Neeraj Chopra. A clip of this exchange went viral on social media, with some users branding the questions as “sexist” and criticizing Dua’s professionalism.

In response to the backlash, Dua filed a defamation plea arguing that the criticisms not only questioned his professional integrity but also propagated a false narrative about his behavior. The plea emphasized that the negative portrayal overshadowed Bhaker's achievements.

The court's order underscores the importance of accurately representing the context and intention behind media interactions, especially when they involve public figures and their achievements. If the social media handles fail to comply with the court's directive, intermediaries are instructed to block the content in question.