Rights groups demand repeal of sedition law

The participating organisations felt that there are certain anti-democratic laws in the country which are being used against the people to suppress dissenting voices and the law on sedition is one of the worst amongst them.

 

They observed that the law on sedition in section 124A of the Indian Penal Code is a legacy of the colonial era and it should be repealed as it attacks the life and liberty of people in the country which makes creating hatred or contempt for or disaffection towards the government established by Law in India, an act of sedition punishable with imprisonment for life. Whether such disaffection, hatred or contempt is created by words spoken or written or by signs or visible representation.

 

"Nehru, in the parliament, had spoken against Section 124 (A) of IPC which deals with sedition. It\\\’\\\’s a shame that we are asking the government of present day to redeem the pledge of Jawaharlal Nehru," Rajindar Sachar, former Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court, said at this event.

 

For the last few months, PUCL and constituent organisations have been generating awareness against this anti-people law through an all India signature campaign.

 

"We will collect over 1,000 signatures and submit our petition to Petition Committee of Parliament for further discussion on the issue," PUCL National Secretary Kavita Srivastava said.

 

Adding to this, an all India campaign against sedition and other repressive laws will be launched on Tuesday at a convention organised by PUCL and other human right organisations.

 

"We are launching an all India campaign against sedition on January 31. At tomorrow\\\’\\\’s convention delegates from various states will share their case studies and experiences while dealing with the law. They will also share data from their states about how many people are lodged in jails under this law," PUCL Secretary V Suresh General said.

 

Activist Gautam Navlakha, Arjun Singh and Prabhakar Sinha were also present at the event. 

 

The campaign is a joint initiative by various Human Rights Activists’ groups which include organisations like Peoples Union for Democratic Rights (PUDR), Association For Protection of Democratic Rights (APDR), Human Rights Law Network (HRLN).