The Gujarat High Court has received a PIL against the developers of Pokémon Go under the claim that it hurts the religious sentiments of Hindus and Jains. The petition was made by Alay Anil Dave and is likely to be heard today by a division bench of Chief Justice R Subhash Reddy and Justice Vipul Pancholi.
According to a report by PTI, the appeal states that the location-based augmented reality game encouraged players enter places of worship and collect rewards in the form of virtual eggs. Dave said that eggs are considered non-vegetarian food and it is hence blasphemous for such items to appear in religious places even if they are present virtually.
The petition also raises other points in opposition to Pokémon Go asserting that it infringes upon the privacy of others when users gather in large numbers in certain areas where a Pokémon is spotted. It also poses threat of life and limbs to players while they walk around oblivious to their surroundings in crowded locations. Dave is seeking a ban on the game in India.
A PIL had previously been filed against Pokémon Go over safety issues when two youths were injured while playing the game in Vadodara. It has been banned in Iran, and other countries like Vietnam, Thailand and Cambodia have restricted it in select places.
Also see: Fake Pokemon GO apps prowling the Indian cyberspace
The game’s developers Nintendo and Niantic Labs, have been sued in New Jersey as people allegedly often trespass private properties when engaged in playing Pokémon Go. It is of course a matter of opinion whether the company who makes the game or the player is to be blamed for breaking the law.
Pokémon Go has not been officially released in India. Players have been using a hacked version of the game downloadable through various third party websites. It is legitimately available in a few countries like the US, Italy and Japan.