Invitation to Public Meeting: Law on Sedition & Attack on Freedom of Expression & Right to Dissent (2 March 2016, New Delhi)

Janhastakshep, PUDR and PUCL

cordially invite you to a public meeting on

THE LAW ON SEDITION
AND
ATTACK ON FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AND RIGHT TO DISSENT

Date: 2nd March, 2016, Wednesday

Time: 5 PM
Venue: Gandhi Peace Foundation
Deendayal Upadhyay Marg
(Near ITO Metro Station) New Delhi - 110001

Speakers:

Justice (Retd.) Rajinder Sachchar
Justice (Retd.) Jaspal Singh
Shri Pankaj Bisht (Editor, Samyaantar)
Prof. Nivedita Menon (JNU)

Friends,

The ongoing attacks on constitutional and democratic rights are alarming. We, as democratic rights organizations, are seriously concerned with the fascist attacks on the rights to freedom of thought, expression, association and dissent, by invoking the draconian sedition law, a colonial hangover. This law is being used against whoever dares to think and differ, and has the courage to express it. We demand the scrapping of this anti-national colonial legislation, about which Amartya Sen rightly said, “We should not allow the colonial penal code that imposes unfreedoms to remain unchallenged. We should not tolerate the intolerance that undermines our democracy and facilitates a culture of impunity of tormentors.”

It is in this context we seek to intervene in the ongoing discourse and debate on attacks on institutions and ideas, and on the need to repeal draconian acts, like the one on sedition, that violate the natural and human rights to question- without which there can be no knowledge. We appeal to you to join us in this ongoing struggle against the fascist designs of right wing extremism.

Sd Sd Sd

Ish Mishra ND Pancoli Deepika Tandon, Moushumi Basu

(Janhastakshep) (PUCL) (PUDR)