“What is freedom of expression? Without the freedom to offend, it ceases to exist.” ― Salman Rushdie
Global boundaries are fast diminishing and people of the world are coming together. This is the best time to explore our freedom of speech but we Indians have chosen to hate it. Here’s why-
- It is anti-national
We love our country and would like to believe that everything going on in our country is perfect or moving towards perfect. It’d be seditious and offensive to speak anything against since that’d mean we are unpatriotic. Speaking up distracts our politicians and government from the path of development they are taking our country to. They can work better without dissent or having to deal with arguments.
- It is unsanskari
Since childhood, we have been taught to shut up more and never question anything by our elders. Isn’t it unsanskari to disobey our elders?
- We hate being reminded of the reality
The Constitution (First Amendment) Act, enacted on 18th June 1951 inserted many limitations to the exercise of freedom of speech and expression by us but we don’t mind it until we keep faring better than nations like Saudi Arabia, Syria, Pakistan etc.
- It is blasphemous
We love, trust and worship our government. And hence we cannot and must not speak anything against the government.
- It is complicated
We prefer to keep our lives simple. The deeper we get into understanding freedom of expression, the more complicated it gets. In the interest of sovereignty and integrity of India, the security of the state, friendly relations with foreign states, public order, decency and morality, contempt of court, defamation and incitement to an offense, we better remain quiet. Since all these terms are so complicated and can have different meanings in different contexts, why bother! Better safe than sorry.
- It can have FATAL consequences
We remember what happened to Gauri Lankensh, MM Kalburghi, and Shujaat Bukhari. Speaking freely from our fake twitter accounts or making videos from a foreign land is safer.
- We don’t care
Unless we are personally attacked for speaking our mind, we don’t mind others being targeted for questioning the government.
Read more – Today was the day you lost your freedom of speech and expression
