Fresh incidences to silence dissent and
opinions, especially in South Asia are a matter of critical concern. Attempts
to silence have acquired multiple faces ranging from antics of sending Dahi Misal to murder. Gruesome
firing and death of Sabeen Mahmud in Pakistan followed the murder in cold blood
of two bloggers in Bangladesh. In the same nation, court punishes a journalist for contempt of court for
reporting and 23 others for supporting the journalist. In
neighbouring Sri Lanka, poet Sharmila Seyyid is “raped and killed online” by religious fundamentalists.
Back home, in India, Kamal Hassan got a reprieve from the court of law to
release his film Uthama Villain, but yet to see whether the zealots will
clear their censure. Perumal Murugan, a noted writer folded pen, as it was too
much for him to endure the wrath of the mercenaries of faith. The number of
books banned pan India and in various states since independence make an
“impressive” list.
Silencing dissent is the method of the
fascist and the ones with monistic worldview. History is replete with
characters and movements that have attempted to quell differences. Authoritarian
regimes and religious sects have always tried to control intellect and
limit modes of expressions. Free expressions, opinions and thoughts are
greatest enemies of religious fundamentalists and totalitarians as they set
individuals free.
Every regime, be it democratic or
otherwise, tries to regulate the sphere of expression and speech. The scale of
control may vary according to the weightage each society accord to the value of
free expression and public space. Non-governmental bodies flex their muscles to
quiet voices that do not appease their programme. Governments more often stand
mute spectator to violations of the rights of citizens by these thugs to carry
out their agenda with impunity.
Free speech and expression is a
desideratum of Indian constitution for meaningful life and an environment
required for robust democracy. Having said that, Indian legal culture is
replete with experiences of censor and ban. The volatile communal fault lines
give the government a justification to step in at every perceived threat to
communal harmony and use the tools to suit their agenda. The FIRs registered under the decommissioned Section 66A
of IT Act are examples. S. 66A has been invoked for causing
‘annoyance, inconvenience etc.’ to persons like Mamata Banerjee, Narendra
Modi, Mulayam Singh, Akhilesh Yadav, Azam Khan, Karti Chidambaram to cite few.
In the judgment that annulled S. 66A of IT
Act, the court discussed in detail the need of space for free speech and
expression that is the foundation of a healthy democracy and a sound
society. The parochial political, sectarian and religious bigots on the
other hand is turning the society into intolerant short fused mass that is
self-destructive. The art of deliberation and maturity to understand others
opinion, even when one might not agree to is fast loosing to our communities if
not already lost.
In such communities it is easy to spread
fear, distrust, make people fight someone else’s war without them realizing it.
Best way to make slaves is to kill intelligence. To kill intelligence; limit
thought, speech and expression. It is therefore necessary to react to
provincial leaders, support voices of dissent and be the voices of difference.
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