-The Hindu “Take again Section 124-A of the Indian Penal Code,” Jawaharlal Nehru said during a parliamentary debate centred around freedom of speech in 1951. “Now as far as I am concerned that particular Section is highly objectionable and obnoxious and it should have no place…in any body of laws that we might pass. The sooner we get rid of it the better.” Ironically, the sedition clause not only remains on...
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Aseem Trivedi's arrest shows how colonial-era sedition laws lend themselves to abuse
-The Times of India Normally, a cartoon makes us smile. But that's changing now, as the arrest of cartoonist Aseem Trivedi on charges of sedition has provoked angry criticism across society. The arrest contravenes the Indian citizen's right to freedom of speech and expression. Importantly, this is a right the Constitution, constructed by the founders of an independent Indian republic, guarantees. Sedition, on the other hand, is a repressive colonial law,...
More »National scheme for free medicines for all sought
-The Hindu The Jan Swasthya Abhiyan on Monday called upon the Union Government to extend free medicine supply scheme, presently operational in a few States like Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu, all over the country to reduce out-of-pocket expenditure of common people on health care. Such a scheme would especially benefit the patients deprived of any kind of treatment due to poverty. In a letter addressed to Union Health & Family Welfare Secretary...
More »Cartoonist Aseem Trivedi's arrest sparks outrage, Justice Markandey Katju protests
-CNN-IBN The arrest of cartoonist and India Against Corruption activist Aseem Trivedi on charges of sedition has sparked outrage. Aseem has been sent to police custody for a week for allegedly posting 'ugly and obscene' content on his web portal. Aseem's family and other anti-corruption activists are standing by him claiming there was nothing unpatriotic about his cartoons."Why should the government arrest our son, a cartoonist when there are so many corrupt...
More »Sedition charge on cartoonist
-The Telegraph Mumbai, Sept. 9: Kanpur-based cartoonist Aseem Trivedi, arrested for posting purported seditious content on his website, was today remanded in police custody till September 16 by a local court. Trivedi was arrested last evening after he surrendered before the Bandra-Kurla Complex police. Police had sought his custody to question him on the contents on his website, www.cartoonsagainstcorruption. The court had issued a non-bailable warrant against him last month. A member of the...
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