Fundamental Rights
Fundamental Rights
In the wake of the scheduled ‘Delhi Chalo’ farmers’ protest on February 13, the Haryana government on Saturday evening announced the suspension of mobile internet services from February 11 to February 13 in Ambala, Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Jind, Hisar, Fatehabad and Sirsa including Dabwali districts. \https://thewire.in/agriculture/internet-suspended-in-7-haryana-districts-as-farmers-plan-for-delhi-chalo-protest
In an order, additional chief secretary, Haryana government T.V.S.N. Prasad said that in view of the call for a farmers’ march/agitation given by certain organisations,”There is a clear potential of disruption of public utilities, damage to public assets and amenities and disturbance of public law and order in above mentioned districts on account of misuse of internet services by way of spread of inflammatory material and false rumours, which are being/could be transmitted/circulated to the public through social media/messaging services on mobile internet services, SMS services and other dongle services.” All Haryana telecom operators have been directed to ensure compliance with the order.
by Kusum Arora and Vivek Gupta
11/02/2024
The three curators and organisers of the Vidarbha Literary Festival have stepped down, allegedly after right-wing activists began threatening them and approached key family members. The festival, exclusively catering to non-fiction writings and started just months before the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, is scheduled to have its next edition in February 2024. But curators Sukhada Chaudhary and Pawan Sarda and organiser Ruta Dharamadhikari collectively decided to step down last week.
Sources privy to the developments at the festival said that activists belonging to right-wing organisations raised objection over four of the many speakers who were invited to the festival. The objection was against inviting journalists and authors like Aakar Patel, Josy Joseph, Shruti Ganpataye and Shivam Shankar Singh to the festival. For the February 2024 edition, around 40 speakers were invited.
11/10/2023
https://thewire.in/rights/umar-khalid-the-historian-his-continued-imprisonment-is-a-loss-to-the-academic-world
When a Muslim like Umar Khalid crosses boundaries, there is a further panic attack. A young articulate Muslim man who does not wear a skull cap, who is an atheist, who did his Ph.D. from JNU in history on Adivasis in Singbhum is seen as an anomaly in the segregated world the RSS wants to create. The attempt is then to reduce him to just one aspect of his identity – so that whatever else he does or says or writes in the end he must be seen merely as a Muslim, and by extension, violent, anti-national, and a threat to the “Indian mainstream”. So dangerous that he has been in jail for three years without bail. It is not surprising that so many of the young people who were arrested for the anti-CAA protests were Muslim students at India’s leading universities.
Umar’s thesis, titled ‘Contesting Claims and Contingencies of Rule: Singhbhum 1800 – 2000’, is a well-researched and deeply insightful exploration of the relationship between Adivasis and the state, in what is seen as one of the most ‘isolated’, ‘backward’ tracts of India, even as it is the site of extensive mining.
Umar argues that contrary to the received wisdom which has pitted a homogenous Adivasi society against the state, the state intervened through the fractures within Adivasi society.
07/08/2023
https://thewire.in/rights/academic-freedom-iisc-democracy-india
In recent years, we have seen many such examples of the government intimidating the scholars working in the knowledge sector into silence. While academic freedom is being challenged, defamation lawsuits are becoming tools of harassment.
In 2022, India’s academic freedom index was in the bottom 30% among 179 countries, according to analysis by the V-Dem Institute. It flagged 22 countries, including India, China, the US and Mexico, where institutes recorded a slide in academic freedom over the past decade.
As part of the assessment, five indicators were used by the institutes. These include the freedom to research and teach, freedom to disseminate information, and the freedom of academic and cultural expression. The indicators also included encouraging a tradition of provocative thinking, controversial views, and non-conformity – which are conditions for sustaining a diverse and inclusive society.
Less discussed is how the decline in academic freedom impacts democracy itself. Democracy is not merely about protecting voting rights and conducting elections or maintaining the rule of law. While these are an important part of functioning democratic systems, the bedrock of democracy is a vibrant civic society.
In recent years, we have seen many such examples of the government intimidating the scholars working in the knowledge sector into silence. Information flow and civic discourses that encourage creativity are vital for a participatory democracy to thrive. While academic freedom is being challenged, defamation lawsuits are becoming tools of of harassment.
08/07/2023
Allahabad HC Puts Interim Stay On Broadcast Of Al Jazeera's Documentary 'India: Who Lit The Fuse' In India In View Of Probable 'Evil Consequences' https://www.livelaw.in/high-court/allahabad-high-court/allahabad-hc-interim-stay-broadcast-al-jazeera-documentary-india-who-lit-the-fuse-evil-consequences-article-19-230657
Allahabad HC restrains Al Jazeera from telecasting documentary on Hindutva in India https://scroll.in/latest/1050963/allahabad-hc-restrains-al-jazeera-from-telecasting-documentary-on-communal-violence-in-india
A social activist named Sudhir Kumar filed a public interest litigation against the telecasting of the film in India. He claimed that the documentary has the potential to create disharmony among citizens and threaten the country’s integrity.
Kumar contended that the film is “likely to create hatred amongst different religious denominations and thereby destroy the secular fabric of the Indian State”. He claimed that he learnt from print and social media reports that the film portrays India’s Muslim community to be living in fear and presents a “disruptive narrative” that could create a sense of public hatred.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/6/16/india-court-bars-airing-of-al-jazeera-documentary The Al Jazeera documentary features an interview with a defector from the RSS, who reveals chilling details of his training sessions in RSS camps, allegedly overseen by members of the Indian Army.
The film also depicts the harassment and targeting of nearly 700,000 Muslims in the northeastern state of Assam, governed by the BJP. Since the passage of a citizenship law in 2019, the Bengali-speaking Muslims in Assam fear losing their nationality and being deported to neighbouring Bangladesh.
The Al Jazeera investigation also reveals widespread campaigns across multiple Indian states to demolish properties belonging to Muslims. The campaigns include tearing down homes and businesses, which critics say is an attempt to economically and socially disenfranchise India’s Muslim minority.
A BJP spokesman dismissed the allegations made in the documentary, saying Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government is committed to rule of law in the Hindu-majority country and individuals accused of targeting Muslims would face severe consequences.
He also defended the RSS, calling it non-discriminatory and working for the welfare of Indians from all the backgrounds, including Muslims, Christians, tribal people and historically disadvantaged groups such as the Dalits.
The court was hearing a petition that claimed that the film, titled 'India... Who lit the Fuse' is “likely to create hatred amongst different religious denominations and thereby destroy the secular fabric of the Indian state". https://thewire.in/law/allahabad-high-court-al-jazeera-documentary-muslims-evil-consequences
A petition filed by one Sudhir Kumar, who claims to be “a public-spirited person and a social activist”, has cited detailed reasons for asking for the documentary to be barred by the court from being aired by Al Jazeera. Among them are principally, that it is “likely to create hatred amongst different religious denominations and thereby destroy the secular fabric of the Indian State. The Film also has the potential to create social unrest and disturb public order, decency and morality.”
15/06/2023
1990 - Justice P. N. Bhagwati's speech on Freedom of Expression | Part 1 | अभिव्यक्ति की स्वतंत्रता Audio lecture https://youtu.be/W4aQeprXN9s?t=684
Part II - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpcBuqKQ5dc
Dr. Rajendra Prasad Memorial Lectures - 1990 - Justice P. N. Bhagwati's speech on Freedom of Expression
Prafullachandra Natwarlal Bhagwati was the 17th Chief Justice of India, serving from 12 July 1985 until his retirement on 20 December 1986. He introduced the concepts of public interest litigation and absolute liability in India, and for this reason is held, along with Justice V. R. Krishna Iyer, to be a pioneer of judicial activism in the country.
The Jammu and Kashmir high court has ruled that authorities deprived Kashmiri journalist and editor Fahad Shah of his “constitutional and legal rights” while terming the grounds of his detention under the controversial Public Safety Act (PSA) as “mere surmise” and “vague and bald assertions.” https://thewire.in/law/fahad-shah-public-safety-act-jammu-kashmir-high-court
Quashing the proceedings under the PSA, which has been termed as ‘a lawless law’ by Amnesty International, a single bench of J&K HC led by Justice Wasim Sadiq Nargal ruled that the authorities “did not carefully evaluate and apply their thoughts” while issuing the PSA order.
by Jehangir Ali
20/04/2023
प्रेस की आज़ादी पर वेंकैया नायडू चौकाने वाला बयान !_venkaiah naidu on press freedom https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPuyh6u9nDM
Journalists should feel free to criticise politicians; else democracy will be in danger: Venkaiah https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/journalists-should-feel-free-to-criticise-politicians-else-democracy-will-be-in-danger-venkaiah/article66744002.ece Mr. Naidu observed that the tribe of politicians agreeing with different viewpoints is decreasing, but at the same time, he also deplored the growing tendency of journalists to colour news with their views April 16, 2023
Subcategories
Right to Life Article Count: 0
Right to Privacy Article Count: 12
Free Speech Article Count: 61
Ban on films, documentaries by Government e.g documentary on PM by BBC. Debate on censorship, opinion, statements by media people, leaders, screening of film on Modi at universities etc.