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Video Editor: Ashutosh Bharadwaj
Amid the slogans calling for 'azaadi', came an outrageous statement from Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath...
UP Chief Minister Adityanath said those raising the 'azaadi' slogans will be accused of treason. He warned of strict punishment too – punishment at its harshest. You demand freedom, but you'll get jailed in return. The CM will put you behind bars.
What do the laws say about treason?
Will someone become a traitor by merely shouting slogans?
In a word, the answer is… No.
Mr CM, no.
I am not saying that these laws of our free country and the country's highest court that is the Supreme Court's decisions are saying so.
The Sedition Law has been framed under section 124A of the Indian penal code (IPC). It is defined as and I'm quoting:
This archaic law belongs to the British era. Which means, at a time when Gandhi and Tilak would write or speak against the British, the British would get nervous. Then to avenge the criticism they would use this law. Even though they were founders of this law in India, treason law ended in Britain about 10 years ago.
Let me now cite a few cases of treason in India.
There is another case – 'Balwant Singh vs Government of Punjab' .
On the day of the assassination of former PM Indira Gandhi that is, on 31 October 1984, a man named Balwant Singh in Chandigarh raised slogans of 'Khalistan Zindabad'
In this case, a case of treason was lodged against him. However, the Supreme Court did not give him any punishment under the clause of treason.
Now, neither are slogans of Khalistan being raised nor are they being raised for independence from India. We need to see what are those who are raising slogans of freedom saying, and they say:
The reality is whoever is asking for freedom from inequality and fear is talking about making his country better. For such people, when the CM says they cannot raise 'azaadi' slogans, they will surely ask: janab, aise kaise?
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