Gujarat HC issues notices to Centre, Niantic over plea saying Pokemon GO hurts religious sentiments

Gujarat HC issues notices to Centre, State Govt and US based Niantic Inc over PIL that mobile game 'Pokemon Go' hurts Hindu sentiments

A PIL was filed in the Gujarat High Court against developers of the location-based augmented reality game Pokemon Go, alleging it hurts religious sentiments of certain communities by showing eggs in places of worship.

Filed by Alay Anil Dave, as per the plea, among other things, the image of eggs shown in the augmented reality game appear in places of worship of different religious groups.

The petitioner has said eggs are considered as non- vegetarian food, and it is blasphemous to carry non-vegetarian food inside a place of worship of Hindus and Jains. "People playing the game get their points in the form of eggs which generally appear in the places of worship of different religious groups. To find eggs in temples of Hindus and Jains is blasphemous, and therefore my client has sought ban on the game from the country," petitioner's lawyer Nachiket Dave said.

Among other points raised against the game are that it infringes upon the privacy, and it poses threat of life and limbs to the players, who have to walk around to score a point. San Francisco-based developer of the game, Niantic, Inc., and Central and state governments were made the respondents.

With ANI/PTI inputs.