In his lecture titled 'Free Speech, Nationalism and Sedition', former Delhi HC Chief Justice AP Shah said that enforced nationalism cannot promote true culture. He also expressed concern that institutions of learning are under attack and there is a concerted attempt to destroy any independent thought.
Former chief justice of Delhi High Court A P Shah has expressed some strong views on the present discourse of nationalism swirling in the country. Delivering the MN Roy memorial lecture in Delhi on Wednesday, Shah said, "Today, sadly, in this country I love, if anyone holds a view that is different from the government's acceptable view, they are immediately dubbed as anti-national or desh-drohi. This marker of “anti-national” is used to intimidate and browbeat voices of dissent and criticism, and more worryingly, can be used to slap criminal charges of sedition against them."
Shah also put forth his views about playing national anthem in movie theatres, attempts to curb dissent in universities, free speech as well as media bias.
"Today, we are living in a world where we are forced to stand for the national anthem at a movie theatre, we are told what we can and cannot eat, what we can and cannot see, and what we can and cannot speak about. Dissent, especially in the university space, is being curbed, and sloganeering and flag raising have become tests for nationalism. We have a 21-year old University student who is subject to severe online hate, abuse, and threats, only because she dared express her views."
Speaking about true liberty of speech, Shah said, "The strength of a nation is not gauged by the uniformity of opinion of its citizens or a public profession of patriotism. The true strength of a nation is revealed when it does not feel threatened by its citizens expressing revolutionary views; when there is a free and open press that can criticise the government; and when citizens do not resort to violence against their fellow citizens, merely for expressing a contrary view."
Read the full text of his speech below:
Justice Shah Lecture 1 by Rucha Sharma on Scribd
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