‘Undemocratic’: Twitter On Sedition Charges Against Celebrities

This is how Twitter users reacted to the sedition charges filed against the 49 celebrities.

A Muzaffarpur court, on Thursday, ordered an FIR – for sedition – to be lodged against the 49 celebrities who had penned an open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, back in July, raising concerns over the growing number of lynchings in India.

This was followed by an outpouring of reactions on social media. While some pointed out the ‘undemocratic’ stifling of free speech in a democracy, others labelled the turn of events as one that is reflective of ‘New India’.

Take a look.

'Absolutely Uncalled for...'

Absolutely uncalled for. For two reasons: first: it's undemocratic to do so. Second: why turn them into heroes for nothing??

Sedition Case Against Ramachandra Guha, Aparna Sen, Mani Ratnam Over Open Letter To PM Modi On Mob Violence - NDTV https://t.co/7tKHZMr8Hn

— Yashwant Deshmukh 🇮🇳 (@YRDeshmukh) October 4, 2019

FIR lodged against 50 celebrities under IPC sections relating to sedition, public nuisance, hurting religious feelings and insulting with an intent to provoke breach of peace for writing an open letter to Modi against mob lynching.

New India! https://t.co/XmRLo5e3Wl

— Ravi Nair (@t_d_h_nair) October 4, 2019

At some point this nonsense needs to stop. These FIRs are turning into a joke https://t.co/Pa52Sw5FpL

— Abhijit Iyer-Mitra (@Iyervval) October 4, 2019

'Dissent & Criticism is Not Sedition'

Dissent & criticism is not sedition in a functional democracy. India’s courts need to push back against the Modi government & the attack on Article 19 of the Constitution

— Swati Chaturvedi (@bainjal) October 4, 2019

India is the only country in the world where mob lynchers are garlanded by the ruling govt & those who write an open letter to the PM protesting against lynching are slapped with sedition cases! Another first in 70 years, thanks to this #BJP govt!https://t.co/WeWxprF9Xf

— Shama Mohamed (@drshamamohd) October 4, 2019

I intend to approach the Supreme Court against Muzaffarpur Chief Judicial Magistrate Chief Judicial Magistrate Surya Kant Tiwari for ordering a sedition FIR against 48 celebs who wrote a letter to PM Modi.

The SC has laid down CLEAR rules on when IPC 124A can be applied. (1/2)

— Saket Gokhale (@SaketGokhale) October 4, 2019

Sedition case registered against celebrities who wrote a letter to PM about the lynching cases in the country.

Democracy nanga si
Baaki sab Changa si

— Roshan Rai (@RoshanKrRai) October 4, 2019

'It’s Sedition Now to Write a Dissent Letter to PM Modi!'

All hail the 4th Reich! https://t.co/QUHRTAfefx

— Swara Bhasker (@ReallySwara) October 4, 2019

This is Modi' ji s #NewIndia where those who Lynch are set free despite evidence on camera .
Those who write to the hon PM to uphold the hon SC judgement are charged with sedition cases .#MobLynchinghttps://t.co/N2iWiRQRj5

— Tehseen Poonawalla (@tehseenp) October 4, 2019