‘A mature constitutional democracy ought not to prosecute speech, which by itself has no direct causal connection to violence or disorder,’ says PUCL statement

“A reminder of the broader threats to free speech and dissent in India”, says Journalists Beyond Borders

NEW DELHI / NEW YORK (TIP): The People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) on Thursday, October 12,  condemned the decision of Delhi Lieutenant-Governor (L-G) Vinay Kumar Saxena to allow Delhi Police to prosecute writer Arundhati Roy and Sheikh Showkat Hussain, a former Professor of International Law at the Central University of Kashmir, in a 2010 case.

Urging that the prosecution against Ms. Roy and Dr. Hussain be withdrawn with immediate effect, PUCL leaders Kavita Srivastava and V. Suresh said in a statement that Ms. Roy was being prosecuted for “worrying the edges of the human Imagination” for writing as if “the only thing worth globalizing is dissent” and believing that dissent is “India’s best export”. “This is a tragedy for a country which prides itself as being the ‘mother of democracy’,” the statement added.

The PUCL said it was baffling that a 2010 related case is now on the front burner, with sanction being granted by the L-G, almost 13 years after the alleged incident. “A mature constitutional democracy ought not to prosecute speech, which by itself has no direct causal connection to violence or disorder. It is shameful that an FIR [First Information Report] was even registered for speech which by all accounts did not incite or provoke any form of violence,” the statement added.

PUCL leaders said such an action did great disservice to the Narendra Modi government’s belief  that India is the ‘mother of democracy’, when the ‘mother’ prosecutes one of her most illustrious children. “Ms. Roy is one of India’s most eminent writers who has used her writing to amplify the concerns of those whose voices are ignored or muted. In her writing be it on the Indian nuclear tests, the dams on the Narmada or of the US war on Iraq she has sought to remind Indians and indeed the inhabitants of the world of the human costs of nuclear technology, development and war,” they said.

In a statement to The Indian Panorama, Journalists Beyond Borders President Prof. Indrajit S Saluja said : “The decision of government of India to reopen a criminal case against Arundhati Roy is deeply troubling and raises serious concerns about the state of justice, freedom of expression, and democracy. Arundhati Roy, a celebrated author, activist, and one of the most prominent voices for social justice in India, has consistently voiced her opinions on a range of political and social issues. The reopening of a case against her is not only an attack on her individual rights but also a stark reminder of the broader threats to free speech and dissent in India.”

Prof. Saluja called upon the government of India to stop harassing writers and journalists who, in the best interest of India and the people of India, criticize government policies. He demanded immediate withdrawal of  the case against her which is  a politically motivated attempt to silence and intimidate her and other activists who challenge the government’s policies. In a democratic society, the freedom to express dissent and engage in open discourse is a fundamental right. Such actions undermine the principles of democracy and the rule of law.