We as kids were told stories of freedom, we were told that all men are born free and equal, we were told stories of valor where honest virtuous men gave up their lives and even went to jail to protect their personal freedoms and the freedoms of their fellow men. Gandhi, Nehru, Mandela, Martian Luther King, and even a Pornographer called Larry Flint suffered, went to jail, and are were even shot for fighting for the ideals of freedom. We have poems in our school book talking about the great freedom struggles whether it be kings like Rana Pratap or Laxmi Bhai they were all fighting for their individual and the freedom of their states.
Above all in our constitution is the freedom of speech and expression as mentioned in the Article 19 and 19 A of the constitution Gives the Individual freedom under six headings.
1 Freedom of Speech and Expression
2 Freedom of Assembly
3 Freedom to form association and Union
4 Freedom to move freely throughout the territory of India
5 Right to reside and settle in any part of India
6 Right to carry any professions and trade or business
In my view all these have in many ways been compromised in our country, these are great and lofty ideals but remain ideals for the courtrooms themselves, in the real world no one seems to be listening to these ideals. In a country where silent protests are met with violent police baton charges, arrests and hooliganism where is the freedom of assembly, take an example of the farmer’s protest which has been disrupted by the police and they are even rounding up people who are calling for the protest rallies through their WhatsApp groups.
Freedom of speech that’s the biggest sham of all the biggest joke, if you say something against someone they will do an FIR against you, or they to get your Facebook or YouTube channel blocked or disbarred. Instead of abusing you in return, people start taking legal routes.
I mean these ideals look good in school books only in the real world they are compromised all the time.