“I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.” – Voltaire.
Freedom of speech is one such fundamental right in India that has been debated for centuries and is yet under debate. Before we delve into the current standing of this integral fundamental right, it is important to understand its history in a diverse country such as ours.
Freedom of speech is one such right, like the right to equality, that has been followed in India from an early age. Vedas and Upanishads advocate for freedom of speech by encouraging open discussions on different topics such as morality and spirituality, whilst also advocating for a transparent form of governance wherein people of the country could speak their opinions and thoughts without hesitation. Ancient India has always followed the integral right to speech, with thinkers such as Chanakya advocating for an open environment where citizens have the right to speak their minds. The world of art and literature also flourished during this time, with artists such as Kalidasa, and Bhanabatta, amongst many others, expressing their thoughts through words and artistic paintings that are famous to date. Historically, India has always been subject to a diverse group of people with different rulers across the country following different traditions and practices. With the diverse group of people, different thought processes can be observed through the variations in literature and art along with governance across various parts of the country. For instance, the Mauryan empire’s governance differed from that of the Cholas in the south. However, one thing that remained common across the country was the right to express and the freedom of speech, although the term was not coined then.
However, one question that comes to our minds is whether the implicit freedom of speech people experienced was absolute or restricted in ancient India?
Different thinkers had varying opinions on the same topic, even during ancient times. The Vedas and Upanishads advocated for free and open discussion but, at the same time, condemned any such discussion that promotes any activity that is immoral or adharma. It condemned any form of speech that was derogatory in nature or harmed someone else’s reputation and advocated immoral activities, indicating that the freedom of speech was indirectly subject to restrictions. The famous Arthashastra also mentions that espionage or talking ill about the state on baseless facts is incorrect and punishable. Similarly, the Manusmriti also placed a restriction on the freedom of speech, especially in terms of tolerance to other religions and castes. Now, answering the question raised previously, it can be derived that the freedom of speech was not absolute and was subject to restrictions even during ancient India.
Fast-tracking to the present scenario, freedom of speech has become more vast and complicated with time. Over the past few years, there has been a tremendous increase in social media usage and content on media channels, and the scope of freedom of speech has increased. It is no longer just a pillar of democracy but has extended to more than that.
Freedom of Speech in India is a fundamental right that is guaranteed to people who reside in our country by the Constitution. The makers of the Indian constitution were of hard and fast belief that freedom of speech is integral to the very spirit of democracy in our country. As someone who is a believer in democracy, I strongly agree with the same. Freedom of Speech is definitely one of the key ingredients to democracy, almost like sugar to Kheer. A Kheer made without sugar would not taste good; similarly, a democratic government without freedom of speech would be unsuccessful. Democracy is a government run by the people and for the people. Hence, it is essential that the people who are being governed get the opportunity and right to speak their thoughts and express their satisfactions and dissatisfactions about the country. One might wonder how a concept that is so simple and self-explanatory is today one of the nation’s highly debated topics?
The answer remains right in front of us in our social media and content curation platforms. The right to freedom of speech is a fundamental right and a right that is dependent on how people make use of the same. As the famous proverb goes- ‘Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.’ The power of words is something that the generation today fails to take into account. Words leave a mark that stays forever, so it is also pertinent to use them properly. In this regard, I would like to walk you all through an incident which occurred in our country. As we all know, the very famous controversy of Ranveer Allabadia is a true and key example of how powerful words are. The one sentence that he said changed his life and became national headlines the very next day, indicating the true power of words and speech. Recalling another very famous speech that I remember and cherish to date, just as the rest of the world, the speech by Martin Luther King named ‘I had a dream’. This speech is still one of the best speeches in the world, and that one speech sparked an entire movement in the United States of America.
These two incidents showcase the very duality of the right to freedom of speech and why it is yet a highly debated fundamental right. I believe that freedom of speech is a very pertinent right that is given to the people of India. With time, the interpretation has increased to now include freedom of the press under Article 19 of the Indian Constitution, making it a fundamental right. Freedom of speech has impacted our entire country in numerous double-fold ways. It has upheld the true spirit of democracy by allowing people to express their opinions on various topics of national and public importance. We can see various movements for noble causes that found roots due to freedom of speech. It is only because of freedom of speech that India is today an independent, democratic and republican country called as Bharat. Various movements, such as the Me Too movement, Narmada bachao andolan, Chipko movement, etc., gained traction due to this right. So many people have gotten justice, and the country has developed nationally due to freedom of speech. However, there is a flip side to this coin as well. Whilst we can see so many people express their opinions and national issues come to light, we can also observe an increasing diversity in people from different religions and castes. People often use this right that can be considered sacred and responsible for advocating baseless propaganda and hatred amongst the entire country. We can observe so many pages on social media and different individuals across the country spreading hatred for different religions and communities. There are so many militant organisations and separatist movements that are making use of this right for their own convenience, endangering the democracy that India has built over the past 77 years. A right that is one of the main reasons why India is the world’s largest democracy, is also one of the main reasons for the growing diversity and misinformation in the country.
This is the very reason why the right to freedom of speech remains one of the highly debated topics. Every day we see both sides of the coin, with how this affects our country positively and how, at the same time, it impacts society negatively. Now, we come to the question on which the entire debate is concerned: Should freedom of speech be absolute or restricted?
I strongly believe that freedom of speech should be restricted but not to a point where the spirit of democracy is lost. Freedom of speech is integral to democracy, but only until it starts becoming a threat to the very democracy in discussion. People should have the right to express what they feel and what they think, but not when this thought hampers social harmony and the nation at large. Today’s youth must realise how freedom of speech is not just a right but a responsibility we are enlisted with by the Constitution of India. As the country’s future, it is our responsibility to ensure that we use this powerful right adequately and appropriately. The world needs more Martin Luther King and less people spreading propaganda and misinformation. As I conclude, I will leave you all with one thought- Freedom of Speech is only a boon as long as it doesn’t start acting as a bane.