Elections are a celebration of democracy, and democracy, in large part, is about free speech and expression. Put the two propositions about elections and democracy together and we can reasonably conclude that election time is when free speech must be maximized. This is gentle murder of free speech, not its defence. We have been defending the free speech rights of students who wish to break up India (“tukde-tukde"). If this is the direction we are moving in, what is the logic of demanding that the EC clamp down on free speech and thought?

Source: Mint May 07, 2019 15:56 UTC