Odisha News, Odisha Latest news, Odisha Daily - OrissaPOST
  • Home
  • State
  • Metro
  • National
  • International
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Feature
  • Timeout
  • Entertainment
  • Sports
  • Sci-Tech
  • Others
    • COVID-19
    • IPL 2021
    • Today’s Pic
    • WB Election 2021
  • GamesNew
  • Home
  • State
  • Metro
  • National
  • International
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Feature
  • Timeout
  • Entertainment
  • Sports
  • Sci-Tech
  • Others
    • COVID-19
    • IPL 2021
    • Today’s Pic
    • WB Election 2021
  • GamesNew
No Result
View All Result
OrissaPOST - Odisha Latest news, English Daily -
Home Edit

Wipe Out Blemish

Updated: March 1st, 2021, 07:30 IST
in Edit
0 0
0
File photo of climate activist Disha Ravi

File photo of climate activist Disha Ravi

Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on WhatsAppShare on Linkedin

The vitriolic criticism by some social media users, directed against additional sessions judge of a Delhi court Dharmender Rana, has surprised many. Judge Rana made certain pronouncements on the Disha Ravi toolkit case wherein he upheld the values of freedom of speech and granted her bail. The strong negative reaction against the judgement reveals the vicious form of intolerance that is getting free play when anything considered unfavorable to the central government takes place. Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad was rather too economical with his words when he, instead of condemning outright the sinister move to cow down even the judiciary, merely said February 27 a “disturbing trend” of activists criticizing judges for unfavourable verdicts had started.

It is well known that criticism of judgements in good faith is not only permissible but also healthy for democracy. But under no circumstances individual judges should be made targets of criticism. This is an axiom followed traditionally in all free societies. Quite correctly legal experts have demanded stringent punitive action be taken against the culprits who have criticised judge Rana.

The judge, in his order, made a series of laudable observations to buttress his ruling exonerating Disha of the draconian charge of sedition. One of these was: “The offence of sedition cannot be invoked to minister to the wounded vanity of the governments.” These were actually not his words. He was quoting the ruling of a British judge in favour of an Indian citizen against the colonial government of pre-independence India.

Everyone knows that the social media activists, who tried to vilify the judge, were not ignorant of the context nor of the author of the words. They were doing their paid job of brow beating anyone and anything that seems uncomfortable to the powers that be.

The reason for the intolerance of these apparent pro-government activists is not difficult to gauge. For some time the government has been getting judgements from most of the courts – be it the apex or subordinate courts – which have not only been extremely favourable to it, but also greatly helpful in legally sanctifying its political-social agendas. This has set such a trend that many politicians in power have boasted in public domain that the judiciary is favourable. Those boasts seem to hold water as many judgements do, indeed, seem very lopsided and grossly crossing the barriers to help the government. This triumphalism was witnessed when these leaders predicted, well before the verdict could be pronounced, that the Ayodhya Ram Janmabhoomi case would go in favour of the advocates of the construction of Ram temple at the disputed site.

Viewed in this backdrop, judge Dharmender Rana seems to have not only showed extraordinary uprightness, but also exemplary courage in upholding the rule of law without fear or favour. This happened at a time when the citizens of the country are getting disillusioned with the judiciary. One of the most disturbing development was when the last Chief Justice of India, Ranjan Gogoi, was nominated as a Rajya Sabha member by the ruling BJP soon after he retired after passing several controversial judgements that visibly assisted one particular political idea.

Judge Rana’s ruling might have helped restore the people’s faith in the judiciary somewhat when he ordered the release of Disha Ravi on bail with the stinging observation that the Delhi police investigation was “scanty and sketchy.” At the same time he defended the right of citizens to disagree with the government and underlined that any claim, even if false, exaggerated or even with the mischievous intent, “cannot be stigmatised being seditious unless they have a tendency to foment violence.”

His memorable words were “citizens are conscience keepers of government in any democratic nation and they cannot be put behind bars because they choose to disagree with the State policies.”

The Delhi Police had sought to link the violence in Delhi on 26 January 2021 Republic Day during the tractor rally to the toolkit case implicating Disha Ravi. The judge said there was no evidence to back the charge that there was any link between the two or that Disha had subscribed to any secessionist idea. He also found there was nothing wrong for Disha sending the Google document to Greta Thunberg. Freedom of speech and expression includes the right to seek a global audience and there are no geographical barriers on communication.

Obviously, supporters of the government found these pearls of wisdom from the judge to be unpalatable. For them, those words exposed the government’s sinister attempts to go for witch-hunting against those who lent support to the farmers’ agitation. The Delhi police, which is under the Union government, proceeded in the Disha Ravi case with a convicting mind without a shred of evidence as the government seemed desperate to silence attempts to get international support to the farmers’ cause. However, whether by intent of the government or accident, this Disha Ravi matter did succeed in diverting the nation’s attention away from the farmers’ struggle to some extent.

The government could now wipe out this blemish by acting not only against the malevolent social media users but also if it would punish the involved Delhi Police officials for their dereliction of duty. It ought to act with the same alacrity it had demonstrated in arresting Disha or the manner in which it has issued a huge list of fresh new regulations to rein in social media, news websites and other internet based platforms that are refusing to toe the official line.

Tags: Disha RaviOP Editorial
ShareTweetSendShare
Suggest A Correction

Enter your email to get our daily news in your inbox.

Related Posts

(PC: driving.co.uk)

Green consumer taxes

April 23, 2021

Our Unhappy Schools

April 22, 2021

Covid & Judiciary

April 21, 2021
Representational image. (PC: nature.com)

Vaccine Transparency

April 20, 2021

ASEAN & Myanmar Crisis

April 19, 2021

What sort of India

April 18, 2021

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

OrissaPOST epaper Sunday POST OrissaPOST epaper

Click Here: Plastic Free Odisha

Plastic Free Odisha

Kalamatia Sahid Bidyapitha students

Kalamatia Sahid Bidyapitha students support plastic free Odisha. Do you? *Visit our website orissapost.com. Like,Share,Subscribe,Recommend our Facebook Page Orissapost(@OrissaPOST.Here.Now) *Post ...

October 2, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

Scoutmaster, Guide Captains, Rovers, and Rangers of Keonjhar

Scoutmaster, Guide Captains, Rovers, and Rangers of Keonjhar support a plastic free Odisha. Do you? *Visit our website orissapost.com. Like,Share,Subscribe,Recommend ...

October 2, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

Bijay Mohanty, Actor

Actor Bijay Mohanty calls for a Plastic Free Odisha. Have You Joined the movement? *Visit our website orissapost.com. Like,Share,Subscribe,Recommend our ...

August 30, 2018
Covaxin
Christmas

Bharat Biotech rubbishes criticism, says its vaccine is safe    

New Delhi/Hyderabad: Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech rejected Monday criticism over the grant of emergency use authorisation by India’s drug regulator to ...

January 5, 2021
Plastic Free Odisha

Arindam Roy, Actor

Arindam Roy supports call for a Plastic Free Odisha. Do you support the movement? *Visit our website www.orissapost.com. Like,Share,Subscribe,Recommend our Facebook ...

August 29, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

Akash Dasnayak, Actor

Akash Dasnayak, Actor supports a Plastic Free Odisha. Do you? *Visit our website orissapost.com. Like,Share,Subscribe,Recommend our Facebook Page Orissapost(@OrissaPOST.Here.Now) *Post your ...

August 30, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

Govinda Poddar-Odisha Ranji Team Captain

Govinda Poddar, Odisha Ranji Team Captain  calls for a Plastic Free Odisha. Have You Joined the movement? *Visit our website ...

August 30, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

Olympian Dutee Chand

Olympian Dutee Chand calls for a Plastic Free Odisha. Have You Joined the movement? *Visit our website orissapost.com. Like,Share,Subscribe,Recommend our ...

August 30, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

Gandhi College Plus III science students of Khandagiri, Bhubaneswar

Gandhi Plus III science students of Khandagiri, Bhubaneswar support a plastic free Odisha. Do you?   *Visit our website orissapost.com. ...

October 2, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

Swaraj Barik, Actor

Swaraj Barik calls for a Plastic Free Odisha. Do you support the movement? *Visit our website www.orissapost.com. Like,Share,Subscribe,Recommend our Facebook Page ...

August 29, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

IMT Pharmacy College-Puri

IMT Pharmacy College students call for a Plastic Free Odisha. Have You Joined the movement? *Visit our website orissapost.com. Like,Share,Subscribe,Recommend ...

August 30, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

Bargarh Ranapratap High School students

Bargarh Ranapratap High School students support plastic free Odisha. Do you? *Visit our website orissapost.com. Like,Share,Subscribe,Recommend our Facebook Page Orissapost(@OrissaPOST.Here.Now) ...

October 2, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

Miteish Khimji,Entrepreneur

Miteish Khimji supports a Plastic Free Odisha. Do you? *Visit our website orissapost.com. Like,Share,Subscribe,Recommend our Facebook Page Orissapost(@OrissaPOST.Here.Now) *Post your ...

August 30, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

Samanta Singhara Nodal High School students

Samanta Singhara Nodal High School students of Balia, Jajpur support plastic free Odisha. Do you? *Visit our website orissapost.com. Like,Share,Subscribe,Recommend ...

October 2, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

Actress Bhoomika Dash

Actress Bhoomika Dash calls for a Plastic Free Odisha. Have You Joined the movement? *Visit our website orissapost.com. Like,Share,Subscribe,Recommend our ...

August 30, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

Sundargarh Public School students

Sundargarh Public School students support a plastic free Odisha. Do you? *Visit our website orissapost.com. Like,Share,Subscribe,Recommend our Facebook Page Orissapost(@OrissaPOST.Here.Now) ...

October 2, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

Korei college students

Korei college students support plastic free Odisha. Do you? *Visit our website orissapost.com. Like,Share,Subscribe,Recommend our Facebook Page Orissapost(@OrissaPOST.Here.Now) *Post your ...

October 2, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

Ratikant Mohapatra,Odissi Dance Director

Ratikant Mohapatra support a plastic free odisha. Do you? *Visit our website orissapost.com. Like,Share,Subscribe,Recommend our Facebook Page Orissapost(@OrissaPOST.Here.Now) *Post your ...

August 30, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

High school students of Sambalpur district

High school students of Sambalpur district support plastic free Odisha. Do you? *Visit our website orissapost.com. Like,Share,Subscribe,Recommend our Facebook Page ...

October 2, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

Archita Sahu, Actress

Archita Sahu support a Plastic Free Odisha. Do you? *Visit our website orissapost.com. Like,Share,Subscribe,Recommend our Facebook Page Orissapost(@OrissaPOST.Here.Now) *Post your ...

August 30, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

Odisha Rajya Rogi Adhikar Mancha & Mangalabagh International Club workers

Odisha Rajya Rogi Adhikar Mancha & Mangalabagh International Club Workers support a plastic free Odisha. Do you? *Visit our website ...

October 2, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

Srikumar Misra-Entrepreneur

Srikumar Misra supports a Plastic Free Odisha. Do you? *Visit our website orissapost.com. Like,Share,Subscribe,Recommend our Facebook Page Orissapost(@OrissaPOST.Here.Now) *Post your ...

August 30, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

Cuttack College NCC students

Cuttack College NCC students support a plastic free Odisha. Do you? *Visit our website orissapost.com. Like,Share,Subscribe,Recommend our Facebook Page Orissapost(@OrissaPOST.Here.Now) ...

October 2, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

Deepak Kumar-Actor

Deepak Kumar support a Plastic Free Odisha. Do you support the movement? *Visit our website orissapost.com. Like,Share,Subscribe,Recommend our Facebook Page ...

August 30, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

Cuttack New Stewart School Students & Principal

Cuttack New Stewart School students and Principal call for a Plastic Free Odisha. Do you support the movement? *Visit our website ...

August 29, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

CRPF 127 Battalion, Bhanjanagar

CRPF 127 Battalion, Bhanjanagar supports a plastic free Odisha. Do you?   *Visit our website orissapost.com. Like,Share,Subscribe,Recommend our Facebook Page Orissapost(@OrissaPOST.Here.Now) ...

October 2, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

Bridge school students

Bridge school students support plastic free Odisha. Do you? *Visit our website orissapost.com. Like,Share,Subscribe,Recommend our Facebook Page Orissapost(@OrissaPOST.Here.Now) *Post your ...

October 2, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

Unit III Bharat Scouts and Guide

Unit III Bharat Scouts and Guides team call for a Plastic Free Odisha. Do you support the movement? *Visit our website ...

August 29, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

Elina Samantray, Actress

Elina Samantray calls for a Plastic Free Odisha. Do you support the movement? *Visit our website www.orissapost.com. Like,Share,Subscribe,Recommend our Facebook Page ...

August 29, 2018
Plastic Free Odisha

National School Kujang

National School students Kujang Jagatsinghpur district support a plastic free Odisha. Do you? *Visit our website orissapost.com. Like,Share,Subscribe,Recommend our Facebook ...

October 2, 2018

Archives

Editorial

Green consumer taxes

(PC: driving.co.uk)
April 23, 2021

Mark Cliffe Many governments, aiming to foster a green and inclusive post-pandemic recovery, have embraced the slogan “Build Back Better.”...

Read more

Our Unhappy Schools

April 22, 2021

There is a school for 400 children in Solan, Himachal, called Southvale: The World School. The school is run by...

Read more

Covid & Judiciary

April 21, 2021

It is a matter of concern that the judiciary has to intervene and dictate the executive what it needs to...

Read more

Vaccine Transparency

Representational image. (PC: nature.com)
April 20, 2021

The Centre April 19 decided to allow vaccination against Covid-19 for all above 18 years of age from May 1...

Read more
  • Home
  • State
  • Metro
  • National
  • International
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Feature
  • Sports
  • Sci-Tech
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Career
Developed By Ratna Technology

© 2020 All rights Reserved by OrissaPOST

  • Home
  • Metro
  • State
  • National
  • International
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Sports
  • Feature
  • Opinion
  • Sci-Tech
  • COVID-19
  • Games
  • IPL 2021
  • WB Election 2021
  • Today’s Pic
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Career
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

© 2020 All rights Reserved by OrissaPOST

Welcome Back!

Sign In with Facebook
OR

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Create New Account!

Sign Up with Facebook
OR

Fill the forms bellow to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In