HC rejects PIL seeking ban on 'Lalla Lalla' from 'Welcome 2 Karachi'

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court today dismissed a petition seeking ban on a song of an upcoming Bollywood film on the grounds that it promotes liquor consumption and "maligns" a nursery rhyme.

A bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice R S Endlaw declined to entertain a PIL plea filed by an NGO saying it was seized with similar matters.

"It is not necessary to multiply the issue. This court is already seized with similar issue. The court has already taken cognizance of the issue raised in this writ petition, so it is not necessary to entertain the same. For the above reasons, it is dismissed," the court said.

The court was hearing a PIL filed by NGO, Citizens for Better India, which has attacked the lyrics of the song -- 'Lalla lalla lori, daru ki katori' -- in the action-comedy movie 'Welcome 2 Karachi', starring Arshad Warsi. The film is set to be released next week.

The court is already hearing a similar PIL filed by two advocates, who have sought direction to the government to ban two songs -- 'Chaar botal vodka' and 'Mai alcoholic hoon' -- from being played or publicly displayed.

In its plea filed through Human Rights Law Network, the recent petitioner had claimed that the song is "highly objectionable as it will have an extremely negative effect on the society and especially the children, and also promotes consumption of intoxicating drinks which are injurious to health".

It has sought directions to the Centre, Delhi government, Censor Board and Pooja Entertainment And Films Ltd, producers of the film, "to ensure the removal of the song from the movie and to stop its immediate advertisements on TV channels".

The NGO also alleged that a nursery rhyme has been "maligned" and the song also amounts to "surrogate advertisement" for liquor which was "completely banned as per the Cable Television Network (Regulation) Amendment Act".

The petition has sought ban on the sale of audio CDs containing the song as well as restraint on its playing or broadcast on television or radio.