‘MAUN KI BAAT ?’ ASKS THAROOR

Strongly protesting against an FIR registered in Muzafarpur, Bihar, against 49 concerned citizens writing a letter to the Prime Minister on July 23 on rise of mob lynching, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has affirmed that they did right thing in bringing it to notice.

"As citizens of India, we hope that every one can fearlessly bring to your notice issues of national importance, so that you can take the lead to address them," he wrote in a 2-page letter to the Prime Minister on Tuesday.

He hoped that the PM to believes in right to freedom of expression, "so that the 'mann ki baat' of the well-meaning citizens of India does not turn into a 'maun ki baat."

Since when writing a letter of concern to the elected leader of the country become the trigger for an FIR, he asked, wondering whether FIRs are going to be filed in "Naya Bharat" the PM promised everytime a citizen is critical of the government or its policies.

Dr Tharoor asked Modi to take a public stand welcoming dissent even when it involves disagreement with you or your government.

"Is the Naya Bharat that you wish to create where citizens shall not be heard and their concerns not addressed, where all parties and individuals disagreeing with the ruling majority will be outlawed and treated as enemies of the state?"

Dr Tharoor asked Modi to take a public stand welcoming dissent even when it involves disagreement with you or your government.

Tharoor reminded to the PM his address to the US Congress in 2016 describing the Constitution as the real holy book in which freedom of faith, speech and franchise, and equality of all citizens, regardless of background, are enshrined as fundamental rights. "However, some of actions of your government have contradicted your statement. Does this mean that you have changed your opinion on these fundamental issues," he added.