FREE SPEECH IN INDIA

 "IF THE FREEDOM OF SPEECH IS TAKEN , THE DUMB AND SILENT WE MAY LED AS A SHEEP TO A SLAUGHTER." : GEORGE WASHINGTON 
                  

 
Free speech is the right to express any opinion without the fear of censorship.Under the article 19 of Universal Declaration of Human Rights in the ICCPR (International Covenant for Civil and Political Rights) it is stated that everyone has the right to freedom of expression but it also includes the protection of national securities, public order, public health and morals.

In India free speech is described under article 19 of Indian Constitution . It states ,"every citizen of India has the right to freedom of expression but should not affect the integrity, morality and contempt of court."

Under Indian law, the freedom of speech and of the press do not confer an absolute right to express one's thoughts freely.Clause (2) of Article 19 of the Indian constitution enables the legislature to impose certain restrictions on free speech under following heads:

• security of the State
• friendly relations with foreign States
• public order
• decency and morality
• contempt of court
• defamation
• incitement to an offence
• sovereignty and integrity of India
  

Free speech is not an illusion ,it is present in reality . In India everyone is free to speak anything what he/she wants to . Everybody has the right to express his/her views openly and freely .There are rules and laws regarding free speech at national and international level which proves the existence of free speech.

There are some examples which prove that free speech is not a illusion and it is practised well in India too. These are :

• media is using its liberty due to the right of free speech.
• there is a process of fair trials in court to put your side and opinion freely.
• in the social media anybody can like,comment,post and share .
• there is an arrangement of opposition in the parliament in order to keep a check on the power.
• the public figures can be criticized .
• the debates, speeches, discussions, public meetings and protests etc are examples of free speech.
• recently, the court has ended the section 66A of IT act .Now, anyone can freely comment and post. there will be no immediate arrest regarding controversial statements.police have to take the permission of the court first in order to arrest someone against IT act.

So, all these examples show that free speech is practised in India and there is no illusion in the case of free speech.Now there are some 'so called' intellectuals which regularly say that free speech is not present in India. So for them, there are some more examples which surely prove the practice of free speech freely in India. These examples may ashamed you but it is necessary to put them because these would certainly prove that anybody can say anything in India.These are :

• Mr. Azam Khan called Modi as a 'big dog'. he called Amit Shah as 'gunda no. 1'. he said that,"Paris attacks are result of global super power. "
• Mr. Lalu Prasad said ," Modi chai ni khoon bechta hai."
• Mr. Mulayam Singh Yadav gave a ridiculous statement regarding a rape incident that ,"ladke hain, ladkon se galti ho jati hai."
• Mr. Pravin Togadia said that ,"atankwaad ka koi majhab hai aur wo islam hai."
• Mr. Asaduddin Owaisi said that ,"Modi kutta hai kutte ka baccha hai."
• Mr. Digvijaya Singh called Meenakshi Natrajan as '100 tanch maal.' 
  
  
  the further slogans which were raised during a 'so called' cultural event at a very respective educational campus may surely disturb you more . these are :
  • bharat tere tukde honge , insha allah insha allah.
  • tum kitne Afzal maroge har ghar se afzal niklega .
  • Afzal hum sharminda hain, tere katil zinda hain.
  • bharat ki barbadi tak jang rahegi.
  •  bharat se nahin bharat main azadi chahiye.
  • India go back. 
    
    
  so these were some non-acceptable and anti national slogans which were raised during a night at Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi .These slogans may disturb any Indian but it is necessary to put them because it  shows that free speech is practised very well in India and sometimes is is not only used but misused too.
  Some leaders like Yasin Malik, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq etc. in Kashmir area are continuously misusing this right of free speech and misguiding the young generations of Kashmir and related areas.
  
  
  So, there would be some limitations on this right so that it can't be misused. ATI SARVATRA VARJAYET i.e. everything beyond a limit is dangerous  so we should take care about what we are saying. we should take care and respect national security, public order, interests and morals. we should not say anything that adversely affect the nation and its integrity.
                                    
  

  

  
                    
  Hence we can say that free speech is not an illusion and its really present in India but it should be practised with some care that it would be  beneficial for us and our country too.
  thank you,
  with regards,
  Manu Sharma,
  IET-DAVV, Indore (M.P.).