By Gowri Kashyap
Freedom of speech, one of the most imperative qualities of a functioning democracy is defined as “the power or right to express one's opinions without censorship, restraint, or legal penalty.” But, as with any such matter, the level of ‘freedom’ in freedom of speech is heavily debated as in how much freedom is too much freedom, and how does one restrict this freedom?
For starters, it is essential to understand that complete freedom of the speech would result in chaos and anarchy. I say this because, with complete freedom, people will have the liberty to make hate speeches, form cults and spread messages of violence, without any form of legal consequences, and it is bound to receive some retaliation – which won’t always be in the form of peaceful protests.
So where and how do the restrictions come in? In the Indian Constitution, the right to freedom of speech is generally flexible, except under these conditions: if it threatens the security of the state, foreign relations, public order, the sovereignty and integrity of India, defamation, incitement to offence and contempt of court. Although these restrictions are fair, many believe that the government is trying to suffocate and suppress them with such regulations.
Freedom of speech is a right that is imperative to a democracy because it keeps it functioning, informs the people through its press and media and allows the people to raise their qualms about the administration. The absence of it would immediately strip the government’s status as a democracy, and with India being one of the world’s largest democracies, we must work to protect and use our freedom of speech wisely. To conclude, I'd like to quote Eleanor Roosevelt who rightly said, “With great freedom comes great responsibility.”
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