From the ToI, a couple of days ago :
Those who speak in favour of Maoist guerrillas will face legal action and 10 years imprisonment, the government announced Thursday in a warning to civil society groups who raise voices in favour of Leftwing extremism.
Much as the idea of Mamta Banerjee, Arundati Roy & Digvijay Singh locked up in adjoining cells is interesting, it seems to be an overkill to prosecute people for speech and create more martyrs ….
The Government would be better off, trying to combat propaganda with propaganda, rather than prosecution. Creating more Binayak Sen’s is maybe, not the right way to go….especially when you seem to be doing the right things to bring the Maoists to heel….
Cut off the Maoist funds, seal the borders, send people who provide material support to prison – even if they are supporting your party from the outside ….. but prosecuting members of civil society for speech – even if it is speech you don’t agree with — is futile – it will lead to more speech in favour of what you are trying to suppress .
This is the full quote from the GoI,
It has come to the notice of the Government that some Maoist leaders have been directly contacting certain NGOs/intellectuals to propagate their ideology and persuade them to take steps as would provide support to the CPI (Maoist) ideology. It is brought to the notice of the general public that under Section 39 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, any person who commits the offence of supporting such a terrorist organization with inter alia intention to further the activities of such terrorist organizations would be liable to be punished with imprisonment for a term not exceeding ten years or with fine or with both. General public are informed to be extremely vigilant of the propaganda of CPI (Maoist) and not unwittingly become a victim of such propaganda.
This is being issued in public interest so that the general public are aware that the Communist Party of India (Maoist) and all its formations and front organizations are terrorist organizations whose sole aim is armed overthrow of the Indian State and that they have no place in India’s parliamentary democracy. CPI (Maoist) continues to kill innocent civilians including tribals in cold blood and destroy crucial infrastructure like roads, culverts, school buildings, gram panchayat buildings, etc. so as to prevent development from reaching these under-developed areas.
Propaganda needs to be combated with propaganda, religion with religion, law with the law — using the Power of the State to combat propaganda is a bit like using a earth mover to crack open a walnut — kind of an exercise in futility !
A vwery nice written thot. While I do agree with what u have said, There is a very fine line between using fundamental right and exploiting the given right. The grey area’s are always there. But as rightly pointed out instead of tackling the propaganda by propaganda is no solution. To nullify the effect of their speeches, government must tackle maoist and on the other hand it should start development for tribals. As troubles of tribals are use as camouflage by maoist. And how much ever we hate maoist, tribals who have not taken up arms should not be ignored
i would totally agree with you.
more importantly – if the government put out information on the work that it is doing, as well as the state of tribals and others in naxal controlled regions it would also be productive.
Naxals are as exploitative and intolerant as anyother group with a gun !!
Sounds very much like the McCarthy play book. No surprise though that it comes from PC’s mouth.
This seems to be some fancy posturing by PC. I doubt if any such law will ever be held up in a court of law.
That said, what worries me is the undercurrent of jingoism and polarisation. We will soon here the word “sedition” being used in the name of “national interest”. Such laws will be music to the ears of the “liberal dharma” brigade. Will be interesting to see how they will rationalise it.
that is what i am worried about – the lack of debate on suppression of freedoms….
i have no truck with the maoists – they are a bunch of bully boys with guns. but, to gag civil society is silly ….
PC should know better …
With you on everything, except “[combat] religion with religion. Isn’t that the cause of half our problems?
actually, it was more in this form :
when fundamentalists tell you ‘this is against our culture’- tell them how it – as per religious texts – ‘this’ is part of their culture 🙂
be it nudity or indeed free speech !!
tolerance is part of religion !
Hi
This is a really nicely written article in support of free speech. I agree, but fighting religion by religion, we have done (and are doing) this and results are for all to see.
Coming to the Maoist, somewhere I feel priorities of the govt. are misdirected, funding and support has to be cut, but so is ideological base, which ‘rests’ in these so called civil society groups which weeds up in cities and universities.(sadly yes).
the heads of the Naxal movement ought to be in jail.
but, putting people who are in conversation with them — or defending them with words — in jail, is over reacting !
There is no ideological difference between the various shades of communists. CPI, CPM & the Maoists all agree on the ultimate goal of “dictatorship of the proletariat” and the acceptability of violence as a tool towards this goal. They only differ in tactics i.e. CPI & CPM are going along with the parliamentary system because they believe the situation is not conductive.
Considering that CPI & CPM are recognized political parties, it follows that the ban on Maoists must also be lifted. Individual acts of violence can be opposed tooth & nail but we can not punish people for “guilt by association”.
Any nation is free to muzzle voices of protest but don’t call yourself a freedom loving democracy if you do that.
Free speech is more important than mere nations. As Heine said: “Where they burn books, they will ultimately also burn people”.