Free speech in India. Bad joke.

We boast ourselves claiming the world’s largest functioning democracy. But I do not see free speech is allowed in this country. “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it” – French Revolution, one of the greatest events of modern history taught this way back in the late 18^th century (arguably, this was written by Voltaire in one of his letters). The political class in this country are so ill-educated that even after 62 years of us becoming an official Republic they have not learnt the idea of free speech and democracy. We see intolerance across the parties throughout the country whenever there is any voice against any kind of establishment. In this age of social networking, when the entire world is becoming boundary less, much more maturity was expected from the bosses of the so called ‘largest functioning democracy’ on the planet. But sadly, we see a medieval age mindset still prevailing among our leaders.

Over the last few months we have seen our government trying to dictate the social networking websites on a number of occasions. The telecom ministry’s absurd demand to screen the posts of each and every individual on the social sites before they get published is nothing short of a military dictators’ or communist rulers’ wish list. In the state of West Bengal we have seen a tyrant at the Writers’ Building getting agitated by anyone questioning her government. Simply for raising basic questions on a national television programme a student gets the Maoist tag by the Chief Minister, a peasant gets arrested at the instruction of the state boss for questioning her about the fertilizer price. And the very famous Jadavpur University professor incident – the teacher was arrested by the ‘Gestapo’ forces of Calcutta for forwarding a caricature featuring the lady boss of the state. I was scared during that time as I myself too posted that caricature on my social account :P.

The Aseem Trivedi incident in Bombay is just the latest in this growing trend of intolerance at the government systems in the country. I have checked Aseem Trivedi's Faebook account and I did not find his cartoon on Indian Parliament is of a good taste at all. But arresting him because of creating that cartoon is against the very idea of democratic values. Political class in the country should learn that tolerance is a virtue and one of the most important ingredients of any modern democracy. I would also bat for having one or two funny bones for the rulers in our country ;).

I think looting Rupees 1.76 lakh crore is not that great a crime in the eyes of the bosses of our country, but ridiculing them for that action must be a sever crime!