It is everybody’s right to be heard

Dissent is not a threat, rather it strengthens democracy

When criticism about human rights violations and freedom of expression comes from external sources, many are indignant and outraged. The common refrain is “who is anyone to lecture to us on developments in our country?” But India has left itself wide open to such scrutiny thanks to the intemperate utterances of those in high places against noted Dalit scholar Kancha Ilaiah and disturbing developments like the murder of journalist/activist Gauri Lankesh. Criticism has come from US Congressman Harold Trent Franks who was speaking in the House of Representatives with reference to a Telugu Desam Party MP saying that Mr Ilaiah should be hanged and the subsequent death threats to him. A mob attacked his car while he was on his way to a meeting.

This is of a piece with the rise in intolerance in public spaces reflected in the killing of rationalists and attacks on those who have differing points of view. The view that dissenting voices are an attack on nationalism are specious in the extreme. Any modern democracy should be able to absorb such differences of opinion and be strengthened by it. Our calling card on the global stage is our diverse and inclusive democracy and it is up to our elected representatives to ensure that it is not threatened. The worrying part is that there is very little condemnation from political parties for such acts. In this case the TDP leadership should have taken disciplinary action against the MP. The NDA government, of which the TDP is an ally, should have spoken up as well. The courts have consistently weighed in on the side of those like Mr Ilaiah. The Supreme Court has refused to ban his book saying that every author has the fundamental right to voice ideas freely.

The free expression of ideas is the bedrock of any democracy. This attempt to take recourse to bans is unworthy of the Indian ethos, which does not need these self-styled custodians of our social fabric. A clear and direct rebuttal from the State is the best way of countering this. It is a pity that in the absence of this, India is in the news for the wrong reasons in the US and other countries, many of which look up to our model of democracy.