'Thug Life' row: Supreme Court rebukes Karnataka High Court

The Supreme Court didn’t hold back in calling out the Karnataka High Court for its handling of actor Kamal Haasan’s controversial remarks about the Kannada language. The apex court also took the Karnataka government to task for dragging its feet in addressing threats against Haasan. Essentially, the top court is saying both the High Court and state officials dropped the ball—first by overstepping with an unnecessary apology demand, and then by failing to act swiftly to protect free speech and safety.