May 24, 2022
The Supreme Court's decision to pause the sedition law is a significant development. For decades, successive governments have used the colonial-era law - the dreaded section 124a of the antiquated Indian Penal Code - against students, journalists, intellectuals, social activists, and those critical of the government to essentially suppress dissent and free speech. A law which was mainly used against Indian political leaders seeking independence from British rule in the 19th and early 20th centuries has now been weaponised as a tool of suppression by successive democratically elected governments.
Soutik Biswas, BBC
