PUBG Mobile: Internet Freedom Foundation Files PIL Against Recent Ban in Gujarat

PUBG mania continues as we just found out that the Internet Freedom Foundation or IFF, has filed a PIL against the recent ban of PUBG Mobile that was implemented in the state of Gujarat.

Just to give you context, the past few months have seen an outrage against the popular battle royale game as according to some, it promotes violence and is a bad influence on the youth. The game has become so popular, that various organisations and state authorities have raised concerns calling it an addiction for the youth. Apart from students not focusing on their studies, we have reported cases where some have gone to the extent of committing suicide as they were asked not to play the game.

The state of Gujarat took action against the game recently where some cities implemented a ban, wherein anyone seen or reported playing the PUBG could be arrested by the local police. Close to 20 people were reportedly arrested during the ban, although from what we heard, they were only taken to the police station and were immediately released on bail.

While there have been reports that the ban is not going to be renewed in Ahmedabad, we came across a post on Reddit by the IFF against the ban. The post says that the organisation has filed a PIL before the Gujarat High Court, challenging the ban and subsequent arrests as a violation of Articles 14,19 and 21 of the constitution. The post reads that the IFF is being represented by a litigation team consisting of Mr. Asim Pandya and Mr. Manan Bhatt and expect that the matter will be listed for hearing in a week or two.

The post continues to read, “While the PUBG ban may seem absurd and amusing at first glance, it is no laughing matter. Out of the twenty-one people arrested, at least thirteen were young college students For a young student who is worried about his family’s reaction and future career prospects, being arrested by the police can be a deeply traumatic experience.”

What do you think about the recent ban? Does it make sense to ban a mobile game, or should we as people be more responsible for the actions we take in our lives?