Pegasus Storm Points To Dangerous Levels of Political Intimidation: Sashi Kumar https://youtu.be/k5w-G1tGz1c?t=157
Senior journalist Sashi Kumar, the founder of Asianet and the current Chairman of the Asian School of Journalism, has also approached the Supreme Court challenging the constitutional validity of this law. Speaking with Mitali Mukherjee, he said it was time for the law to be removed in its entirety as its vague and overboard nature has had a chilling effect on the right to free speech, and has been severely abused in the last few years.
In recent weeks , three benches of the Supreme Court have agreed to hear petitions seeking a declaration that Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code is unconstitutional. Between 2014 and 2019, a total of 326 cases were registered in the country under this controversial colonial-era penal law on sedition. However, just SIX persons were convicted.
The Supreme Court has observed that the offence of sedition — has been enormously misused and even asked the Centre why it was not repealing the provision used by the British to “silence” people like Mahatma Gandhi to suppress the freedom movement.
Vagueness of Law convenient and used cynically by the State.
Art 19 is about freedom of speech, and 19 (ii) "reasonable restraint" is a qualification/rider based on which we have a whole host of laws..So it looks like the ride is more important that the right.. So you have the UAPA, Sedition Act, Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, The prevention of Insult to National Honour Act, the Epidemic Act.. the Disaster Management Act, e have all been invoked . Apart from this you have the NIA, the CBI, you have various agencies playing their role. There is a bearing down upon the citizen a multiplicity of Draconian Laws, and agencies of the State , not only to muzzle the press but the average citizen.
The bold journalism is being practiced now not from the mainstream freedom, are filling in the role of speaking truth to Power. A new genre of journalism is developing..