Cultural Emergency and Terrorism in India
Right to freedom of expression is
recognized under Article 19
Need to raise voice against attempts to
divide society and curtail creative freedom
By Harish K. Monga
Freedom of speech and expression means
free flow of ideas and thoughts. What we say on some subject or topic is not
the final word. So if some people do not agree with the someone’s point of
view, they can disagree but nobody has any right to gag him. It is a pity that
we are sensitive to innocuous remarks coming from fellow humans, but are not
affected by inhuman activities happening around us.
Whether it was the case of twisting
remarks of Shahrukh Khan out of context over what it means to be a Muslim in
India or banning Kamal Hassan’s Rs.95-crore movie “Vishwaroopam in three
southern states on the pretext of portraying Muslims in bad light or the
hauling up of social scientist Ashish Nandy for linking castes with corruption
during the Jaipur Literature Festival or denying permission towriter Salman
Rushdie to visit Kolkota for promoting film based on “Midnight Children”, it
has put a big question mark over the freedom of expression in a democratic
country enjoying the biggest democracy in the world.
Freedom of speech is the political
right to communicate one's opinions and ideas. The right to freedom of
expression is recognized as a human right under Article 19 of
the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and recognized
in international human rights law in the International Covenant
on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).
What is happening in India India
In fact, the attacks on the liberties of
artists are increasing day by day and there is a need to assemble at a joint
platform to fight to raise voice against such attempts to divide society and
curtail creative freedom especially that are spreading intolerance.
