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Synopsis

Supreme Court of India on Monday refused a petition seeking a direction to Doordarshan for having a separate 24x7 channel for Sindhi Language.

"Can a citizen say that there would be mandate to start a separate channel to preserve my language? There can be other means to preserve a language..the sindhis are an urban community..", the Chief Justice of India told the petitioner before it.

The top court went on to state that no citizen could say that in pursuit of his/her fundamental rights, a separate channel should be set up.

Senior Advocate Indira Jaising, appearing for the petitioners Sindhi Sangat, submitted before the bench that as per the government the start of a new channel required investment and was subject to financial constraints.

"I am espousing a public cause not an individual cause..this comes under Article 29..", she added.

Jaising further claimed that this was the case of a language that does not have a state, like Parsi. "If there would have been a state called SINDH there would have been a channel..this language is included in the 8th Schedule..don't link your policy with territoriality..", she said.

The CJI went through the government's response submitted before the high court, which noted that a separate channel would cost around 20 crores.

To this Jaising said, "Which is nothing for preservation of a language".

While dismissing the petition, CJI Chandrachud told Jaising, "This channel is not the only mode to preserve the language..".

Case Title: SINDHI SANGAT vs. UNION OF INDIA AND ANR