'Right To Speak': Musk Helps Indian-Origin Doctor Facing Rs 1.8 Crore Legal Fees For Anti-Vax Views
Indian-origin doctor Kulvinder Kaur Gill has been outspoken against vaccination and government lockdowns during the 2020 pandemic. As a result of her outspokenness, she faced multiple lawsuits by medical bodies and X¡¯s (then, Twitter) previous management , resulting in significant debt. Now, Elon Musk has stepped in to help her.
Indian-origin doctor Kulvinder Kaur Gill has been outspoken against vaccination and government lockdowns during the 2020 pandemic. As a result of her outspokenness, she faced multiple lawsuits by medical bodies and X¡¯s (then, Twitter) previous management, resulting in significant debt. Now, Elon Musk has stepped in to help her.
What did Dr. Gill say that resulted in Rs 1.8 crores in legal fees?
Dr Kulvinder Kaur Gill is a physician of Indian descent in Canada, specialising in immunology and paediatrics.
During the summer of 2020, amidst the global standstill caused by the coronavirus pandemic, Dr. Gill openly opposed government-enforced lockdowns and vaccination requirements.
One of her posts on X in August 2020 stated, "If you have not yet figured out that we don't need a vaccine, you are not paying attention. #FactsNotFear.¡±
However, her position led to legal challenges from medical organisations and censorship by X/Twitter's previous management.
Now, Dr. Gill finds herself in a legal dispute arising from her COVID-related tweets, facing a daunting CAD 300,000 (Rs 1,83,75,078) in legal expenses.
The resulting legal proceedings have depleted Dr. Gill's life savings, leaving her with significant debt.
Why did Elon Musk come to her rescue?
X said in a statement, ¡°Because she spoke out publicly on Twitter (now X) in opposition to the Canadian and Ontario governments' COVID lockdown efforts and vaccination mandates, she was harassed by the legacy media, censored by prior Twitter management, and subjected to investigations and disciplinary proceedings by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario that resulted in "cautions" being placed on her permanent public record.¡±
It added, ¡°When Elon Musk learned earlier this week about her crowdfunding campaign to pay the judgment (https://givesendgo.com/kulvinder), he pledged to help. X will now fund the rest of Dr. Gill's campaign so that she can pay her $300,000 judgment and her legal bills.¡±
Musk himself tweeted, ¡°In support of your right to speak.¡±
In support of your right to speak https://t.co/qWCOYYALPf
¡ª Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 24, 2024
The statement from X also stated, ¡°Free speech is the bedrock of democracy and a critical defense against totalitarianism in all forms. We must do whatever we can to protect it, and at X we will always fight to protect your right to speak freely.¡±
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