Rebel without a cause

To use the sedition charge against Kanhaiya Kumar and other students involved in a demonstration on the JNU campus seems an excessive use of force. Young students, naturally gripped by rebellious thoughts, are likely to be hot-headed enough to spout slogans against the Establishment and, maybe, the country itself. “Boys will be boys” would be the usual forgiving line against high spirited behaviour. The use of the sedition charge against youth is a bit like bringing on the artillery to quell such a threat.

Slogans may have been raised against India, which may be a sad occurrence but it is not sedition according to rulings by the Supreme Court. Action through the law governing sedition would be attracted only when words or actions against the government leads to violence, according to the top court. It was surprising then that such a charge sheet should be filed by the Delhi police, that too three years after the event and when the time is suspiciously close to the national polls.

A light rap on the knuckles for not strictly following rules and regulations laid down for students on campus would have sufficed. By making this seem like a crime against the nation, a wrong message is being sent to the youth, who will probably be fired up like rebels without a cause, which many students are known to be in the flush of youth. Surely, the quality of mercy would be twice blessed in this case.

Sagarika Ghose @sagarikaghose
A mighty oh-so-popular regime is so deeply terrified of student challengers @UmarKhalidJNU @kanhaiyakumar that it slaps colonial era sedition charge on them before elections. The sheer idiocy of the Big State. JUNK SECTION 124A

Rajdeep Sardesai @sardesairajdeep
Kanhaiya Kumar is charged with sedition after 3 years and just 3 months before general elections! A law which was enacted by the British to jail freedom fighters is now used by the Indian state as a political weapon to quash dissent!

Srinivasan Gopal @srinivasangopal
By defending #KanhaiyaKumar the floodgates are being opened up for breaking this country apart. Already several seditious speeches and activities are going on TN in the name Dravida Nadu, Kashmir it is very much open affair and North East is simmering. People who want a strong

Jyoti Singh@synchronise1857
Absolutely. There is no place for an archaic law that is diametrically in opposition to the Constitution of India. We let mass murderers sit in parliament but won't let a student speak!

Invisiblesky@iamdecipherable
No . It should be set as an example . Why should We glorify those who spoke against nation ? Those should be served capital punishment . One side army is sacrificing their life & protecting us and here these anti-nationals are enjoying media TRP’s . .Shame on them .

Harish Bhatia(askaran) @HarishB11106389
Actually this section must be amended further with immediate arrest of persons raising anti national slogans and their supporters so as to be behind bars for atleast one year before trial and no bail Freedom of speech doesn’t mean to abuse nation it’s flag anthem

Seema Choudhary @Seems3r
Are you trying to compare Kanhaiya Kumar & company with freedom fighters? If they are accused of running anti India agenda & chanting “Bharat tere Tukde honge” then you can not call it dissent...they should be sued & punished

Jitendra Singh @Jitendr13699384
#KanhaiyaKumar as you abuse my country ...i wish that a day will come when every indian will abuse u..and i wish to god that you must be a citizen of north korea then you will realize the actual meaning of citizenship

sahil kishen@KishenSahil
Mr. Rajdeep @sardesairajdeep you should ashamed for comparing freedom fighters with pseudo intellectuals like #KanhaiyaKumar and #UmarKhalid who abuse and raise anti India slogans *bharat tere tukde hongey*#Hypocrites

Rahul verma @RahulVerma4860
Clear act of vendetta against intense voices during election time by ruling party to whip up a frenzy and browbeat those who have emerged as dissenters against central govt .Dissents and debates are the the ingredients in vibrant democracy #KanhaiyaKumar #Sedition #UmarKhalid

Anandteerth Deshpande@AVDPune
And youth should regard the history of our nation highly. Ppl gave up their lives to see this nation free & united. & Khalid & Co talk of breaking it into pieces coz of FoE. My foot. U may not be a patriot Justice Katju. Many of us less gifted ppl are. Ppl like us only join army.

Renu singh @Renusing4
1200 page chargesheet filed against #KanhaiyaKumar and his #TukdeTukdeGang for raising Anti India slogans. The total pages in chargesheet is exactly 1200 pages more than the no. of pages kanhaiya has written in his P.hD thesis

Deeksha Shetty@deeshetty7
So you’re saying raising slogans like Bharat Tere Tukde Honge is not inciting imminent lawless action?

vandana rao@vanny_rao
Sir I felt that there is difference between saying Narendra Modi /BJP is wrong, that he/BJP needs to be removed, and this country needs to be broken into pieces. The first is clearly democracy and freedom of speech, the second imports ominous intent, and provokes disgruntled too.

G S Awana@gsawana
Very unfortunate interpretation of freedom of speech. Insult to a nation is no crime. Abusing an individual is of course ‘yes’. Wah judge Sahab! What an explanation for “imminent lawless” ?