Microblogging site Twitter and other social media platforms including Facebook are filled with conversations on one-rupee. Sounds strange! On Monday, morning the Supreme Court imposed a nominal fine of Re 1 on the defendant Prashant Bhushan, convicted of tweets against the judiciary in a contempt case. The court further said that if Bhushan fails to deposit by 15 September, the sentence will be levied for 3 months in prison and the senior lawyer will be barred from practicing law for 3 years.
Bhushan Paid Re. 1 as contempt
Soon after the verdict, Bhushan tweeted, "My lawyer & senior colleague Rajiv Dhavan contributed 1 Re immediately after the contempt judgment today which I gratefully accepted," along with pictures where he is paying the fine to the latter. As the 63-year old lawyer Tweeted that he has obliged with the apex court's order, Twitterattis hailed Bhushan's victory. Many of them calling it a moral victory for the lawyer in this whole contempt case. One- Rupee became talked about currency denomination in India, thanks to the SC Judgment.
Later in the day, Bhushan held a press conference at the Press Club of India in Delhi. "I have had the greatest respect for the institution of the Supreme Court. I have always believed it to be the last bastion of hope, particularly for the weak and the oppressed who knock at its door for the protection of their rights, often against a powerful executive. My tweets were not intended in any way to disrespect the Supreme Court or the judiciary as a whole but were merely meant to express my anguish, at what I felt, was a deviation from its sterling past record," The Wire quoted Prashant Bhushan as saying.
During the course of the day, Twitter was flooded with memes on Prashant Bhushan Judgement and Rupee 1. Here are the top picks.
Meme fest followed instantly.
