Text Size:A- A+
New Delhi:A group of former civil servants, including prominent former IAS officers such as Aruna Roy and Wajahat Habibullah, have penned an open letter expressing concern over the growing assault on the Rule of Law in India and on its citizens rights to free speech and dissent.
In a letter titled Assault on the Rule of Law and Article 19 of the Constitution of India, 99 civil servants lamented the erosion of the rule of law in the country and urged all Indians to unite in defence of the rule of law and Article 19 the Right to Freedom of Speech, which they said are basic elements of any democracy.
The collective known as the Constitutional Conduct Group, is known for voicing concerns regarding socio-political developments in the country and includes several prominent ex-IAS, IPS and IFS officers.
Prominent IAS officers who are part of the group include Aruna Roy, P.S.S. Thomas, Vijaya Latha Reddy, Meena Gupta and Wajahat Habibullah.
Some of the well-known Indian Foreign Services officers in the group include Shivshankar Menon, Madhu Bhaduri, Deb Mukharji and Shiv Shankar Mukherjee. A.S. Dulat, Amitabh Mathur, Aloke B. Lal are some of the Indian Police Services officers who are signatories to the letter.
Also read: Indian citizens and media have been terrorised enough with sedition. SC must end it now
The letter talked about the blatant use of the sedition law and how the rule of law militates against the actualization of the freedom of speech.
We are deeply grateful to our readers & viewers for their time, trust and subscriptions.
Quality journalism is expensive and needs readers to pay for it. Your support will define our work and ThePrints future.
SUBSCRIBE NOW
It cited the arrest of 11 activists, including Kafeel Khan, Safoora Zargar, Akhil Gogoi, Sharjeel Imam, and the murder of Karnataka-based journalist Gauri Lankesh to highlight the corrosion of Article 19 under the government.
The letter added that the government cannot use the current pandemic as an excuse to curb media freedom across the country.
According to the letter, the law of sedition, which it terms a colonial relic, has seen a sharp increase in use. The letter alleges that any criticism of the government is considered anti-national and invites punitive wrath.
The former civil servants also blamed the government for attempting to clamp down on the media and note Indias fall in the Press Freedom Index of Reporters Without Borders.
India ranked 142nd out of 180 countries covered in 2020. In 2019, it was ranked 140.
The letter alleged that the government has used the pandemic as a means to silence the media, giving examples of 55 journalists who were singled out for writing about mishandling of the crisis, and the criminal case against Siddharth Varadarajan, the founding editor of TheWire, for writing against Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
Also read: After SC, how Tripura High Court added muscle to freedom of speech & expression
The signatories of the letter also argued that the gulf between the rhetoric and reality in the rule of law is widening.
They mention the government-imposed curfew in Kashmir and the use of the stringent Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) against people who participated in the protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act and the National Register of Citizens.
The letter further alleged that the police establishment has become a proxy at the hands of the political party in power.
According to the letter, the arrest of activists such as Sudha Bharadwaj, Shoma Sen, Gautam Navlakha and Anand Teltumbde under the UAPA is choking their freedom of expression.
Commenting on the Northeast Delhi riots, the letter noted, The investigations into the riots in north-east Delhi have betrayed an institutional bias against the minority community.
This was in reference to Dr M.A. Anwar, the proprietor of Hind Hospital, being mentioned in a chargesheet by the Delhi Police.
Dr Anwar had reportedly provided crucial medical services to the victims of the Delhi riots.
Subscribe to our channels on YouTube & Telegram
News media is in a crisis & only you can fix it
You are reading this because you value good, intelligent and objective journalism. We thank you for your time and your trust.
You also know that the news media is facing an unprecedented crisis. It is likely that you are also hearing of the brutal layoffs and pay-cuts hitting the industry. There are many reasons why the medias economics is broken. But a big one is that good people are not yet paying enough for good journalism.
We have a newsroom filled with talented young reporters. We also have the countrys most robust editing and fact-checking team, finest news photographers and video professionals. We are building Indias most ambitious and energetic news platform. And we arent even three yet.
At ThePrint, we invest in quality journalists. We pay them fairly and on time even in this difficult period. As you may have noticed, we do not flinch from spending whatever it takes to make sure our reporters reach where the story is. Our stellar coronavirus coverage is a good example. You can check some of it here.
This comes with a sizable cost. For us to continue bringing quality journalism, we need readers like you to pay for it. Because the advertising market is broken too.
If you think we deserve your support, do join us in this endeavour to strengthen fair, free, courageous, and questioning journalism, please click on the link below. Your support will define our journalism, and ThePrints future. It will take just a few seconds of your time.
Support Our Journalism
Go here to read the rest:
- Turkey's crackdown on freedom of speech intensifies - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- Bill of Rights Transcript Text - National Archives and ... - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- Freedom of Speech (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy) - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- 3 Muslims shot dead by Atheist || #muslimlivesmatter - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- Media Studies 104A - 2015-02-10 - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- USA Freedom of Speech and Jesus Christ - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- France Arrests French Comedian Dieudonne 3 Days After Charlie Hebdo Freedom of Speech - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- Charlie Hebdo's "Freedom of Speech" - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- John Robertson on Greg Shapiro's United States of Europe - S3Ep01 - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- The Illuminati: The Freedom of Speech 2015 Conspiracy - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- Muslims oppose insult to Islam in the name of freedom of speech - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- RE: HannibalTheVictor13's resentment over thunderf00t and his "freedom of speech". - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- Policy update restricts demonstrations - February 14th, 2015 [February 14th, 2015]
- Italian senators pass bill criminalizing denial of genocides - February 14th, 2015 [February 14th, 2015]
- Michael Buerk Interview - Freedom of Speech & Paris Attacks - Video - February 14th, 2015 [February 14th, 2015]
- 'Freedom Of Speech' Topic Tuesday #12 - Video - February 14th, 2015 [February 14th, 2015]
- One dead after shots fired at Copenhagen freedom of speech meeting - February 15th, 2015 [February 15th, 2015]
- Shots Fired at Copenhagen Free Speech Event: Reports - February 15th, 2015 [February 15th, 2015]
- One man dead and three policemen wounded at freedom of speech seminar in Denmark - February 15th, 2015 [February 15th, 2015]
- Copenhagen caf: two gunmen in terror attack at freedom of speech event - February 15th, 2015 [February 15th, 2015]
- One dead in gun attack on Danish freedom of speech meeting - February 15th, 2015 [February 15th, 2015]
- Free Speech Debate Still Alive After Attack in Denmark - February 15th, 2015 [February 15th, 2015]
- Esau uses Freedom of Speech as a weapon! - Video - February 15th, 2015 [February 15th, 2015]
- Copenhagen attacks an 'affront to freedom of speech': Tony Abbott - February 15th, 2015 [February 15th, 2015]
- Copenhagen suspect known to police - February 15th, 2015 [February 15th, 2015]
- Copenhagen police kill suspect linked to two fatal attacks - February 15th, 2015 [February 15th, 2015]
- Freedom of Speech and Freedom of Press - Lincoln University - February 15th, 2015 [February 15th, 2015]
- Copenhagen Shooting: Deadly attack at free speech meeting with cartoonist who depicted Muh - Video - February 15th, 2015 [February 15th, 2015]
- Shots fired at Copenhagens Krudttoenden cafe free speech event a report - Video - February 15th, 2015 [February 15th, 2015]
- Media Studies 104A - 2015-02-12 - Video - February 15th, 2015 [February 15th, 2015]
- WallBuilders Live 2015-02-11 Wednesday - Freedom of Speech on College Campuses - Video - February 15th, 2015 [February 15th, 2015]
- Yisrael Beytenu at Charlie Hebdo freedom of speech protest - Video - February 15th, 2015 [February 15th, 2015]
- TOI debate on freedom of speech wows Kolkata - The Times ... - February 16th, 2015 [February 16th, 2015]
- Muslims Killing Atheists! - Video - February 16th, 2015 [February 16th, 2015]
- AP Top Stories February 14 P - Video - February 16th, 2015 [February 16th, 2015]
- Duck Dynasty's Phil Robertson to Receive Freedom of Speech Award - February 17th, 2015 [February 17th, 2015]
- Freedom of speech, but... SHOTS - Video - February 17th, 2015 [February 17th, 2015]
- Letters to the editor: We must do more to stop terrorists - February 18th, 2015 [February 18th, 2015]
- Freedom Of Speech Naam Ki Koi Chiz Hoti Hai - Alia Bhatt On AIB Controversy - Video - February 18th, 2015 [February 18th, 2015]
- DoomShow,Freedom of Speech under attack by Terrrorists - Video - February 18th, 2015 [February 18th, 2015]
- Greenpeace activist refutes govt charge of being anti-national - February 19th, 2015 [February 19th, 2015]
- Jailed Al Jazeera journalist concerned about freedom of speech - February 19th, 2015 [February 19th, 2015]
- Fan claims municipal police violating freedom of speech - February 19th, 2015 [February 19th, 2015]
- Jailed journalist concerned about freedom of speech - February 19th, 2015 [February 19th, 2015]
- Denmark: Police launch manhunt for Copenhagen cafe shooter - Video - February 19th, 2015 [February 19th, 2015]
- Freedom of speech denied outside of Skillet concert Pittsburgh - Video - February 19th, 2015 [February 19th, 2015]
- Alex Jones is Right! Snowden is Right! Government Crooks Via FaceBook! - Video - February 21st, 2015 [February 21st, 2015]
- "McCann Trolling" v "Freedom of Speech" - Video - February 21st, 2015 [February 21st, 2015]
- Aamir Khan disapproves AIB Roast, KJo reacts - February 22nd, 2015 [February 22nd, 2015]
- South Africa: Post the State of the Nation Address - February 23rd, 2015 [February 23rd, 2015]
- The Great Purge of Free Speech Has Begun............ - Video - February 23rd, 2015 [February 23rd, 2015]
- Big Brother Watch calls for reform of social media communications laws - February 24th, 2015 [February 24th, 2015]
- Comment on Have an opinion? Stuff it! by boh-liao - February 24th, 2015 [February 24th, 2015]
- Sports Hotline: What happened to freedom of speech - have Rangers fans lost their right to offend? - February 24th, 2015 [February 24th, 2015]
- Freedom of Speech: Canadians support Charlie Hebdos choice to publish images of Prophet Muhammad - February 24th, 2015 [February 24th, 2015]
- Should there be limitations on freedom of speech? - Video - February 24th, 2015 [February 24th, 2015]
- Topic Tuesday #39 - Freedom of Speech? (Minecraft Survival Games Gameplay) - Video - February 24th, 2015 [February 24th, 2015]
- DW Freedom of Speech Award for Raif Badawi - February 25th, 2015 [February 25th, 2015]
- THROWDOWN THURSDAY: The Four Causes of Anti-Israelism - February 26th, 2015 [February 26th, 2015]
- FCC Reinstates Net Neutrality, Protecting Open Internet - February 27th, 2015 [February 27th, 2015]
- CPDP 2015: Online privacy versus freedom of speech. Balancing rights in the EU context. - Video - February 27th, 2015 [February 27th, 2015]
- Net neutrality lobby victorious after FCC ruling - February 27th, 2015 [February 27th, 2015]
- Freedom of speech means tolerating opposing viewpoints - March 2nd, 2015 [March 2nd, 2015]
- The Death of Freedom of Speech on the Internet - Video - March 2nd, 2015 [March 2nd, 2015]
- Dangerman - Freedom Of Speech - Video - March 2nd, 2015 [March 2nd, 2015]
- Rebel Ratepayer Raps 4 Freedom of Speech in City of Melton, Melbourne - Video - March 2nd, 2015 [March 2nd, 2015]
- Students stand up for free speech at UI - March 2nd, 2015 [March 2nd, 2015]
- John Kerry asked to act on murder of Avijit Roy - March 3rd, 2015 [March 3rd, 2015]
- Not so Charlie now? - March 4th, 2015 [March 4th, 2015]
- ISIS Supporters Threaten "Charlie Hedbo style" Attack Against Twitter Employees - March 4th, 2015 [March 4th, 2015]
- AIB trying hard about freedom of speech - Video - March 4th, 2015 [March 4th, 2015]
- Freedom of Speech situation in Bangladesh BBC World Service discussion - Video - March 4th, 2015 [March 4th, 2015]
- Noam Chomsky on Freedom of Speech and Anti-Fascism [full] - Video - March 4th, 2015 [March 4th, 2015]
- AND..Y we should stand up for freedom of speech | AIB Roast | Delhi Elections | AAP - Video - March 4th, 2015 [March 4th, 2015]
- Vclav Havel Fellowship programme helps young journalists from post-Soviet bloc states - March 5th, 2015 [March 5th, 2015]
- Murderers condemned as message of peace is North Herts conferences priority - March 5th, 2015 [March 5th, 2015]
- four freedoms speech - FDR - Video - March 5th, 2015 [March 5th, 2015]
- Watch what the youth feels about the AIB Roast Controversy & so called "freedom of speech" - Video - March 5th, 2015 [March 5th, 2015]
- freedom of speech eminem remix - Video - March 5th, 2015 [March 5th, 2015]
- Freedom of speech has no limits- - Video - March 5th, 2015 [March 5th, 2015]