move to arrest writer-activist Arundhati Roy for sedition.
In an interview to CNN-IBN, National Advisory Council (NAC) member and
social activist Aruna Roy defended Arundhati's right to express her
opinion.
"Well I speak for myself and not as an NAC Member. I simply do not
believe. Neither for Arundhati nor for any other person, that just by
expressing an opinion you become seditious. I think that in this
country we have had a long history and tradition, long before
Independence and thereafter where all kinds of opinions have been
expressed. Just the expression of an opnion without inciting people is
not seditious. She has just talked and she has a right to her opinion
just as much as anybody else," said Aruna Roy.
"There are other constitutional rights that protect our freedom of
expression and there are many other people who make even more
seditious remarks, who are fully ignored by the establishment. I would
say that it would be a terrible day, a black day for Indian democracy
when they proceed against her legally,"
Senior advocate Prashant Bhushan also said that dissent should not be
confused with sedition.
"Every citizen has a right to discuss any issue freely frankly,
boldly. Even if the country needs to be reorganised, even Nehru said
that there should be a plebicite and Kashmir should be given a right,
whether they want to merge with pak or remain in India. Can you say he
was guilty of sedition? Only that speech that inscites people to
violence and armed revolt can be considered sedition," said Bhushan.
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