DISHA RAVI: THE BAIL STORY?

credits:indiatoday

Nobody can say for sure where we are going, on one hand, the govt works as many as 18 hrs a day to reach the 5 trillion goals and on the other, we have anti-national elements within. Such as tukde-tukde gang in JNU, Kashmiris are terrorists, traitor minorities, liberals and communists and anyone who dissents and anyone who questions a bit too much. Protesters are Andolan Jeeves, human rights and environmental activists are part of western propaganda. Lastly, journalists equal to prestitutes.
Shaheen Bagh is Pakistani, Farmer is Khalistani, Secularism is stupid and toolkit (Twitter storm) is an international conspiracy to weaken the country.
In new India, it has become a lot easier to fool people Tablighi, Sushant, Tweet, etc so many examples. That's because the toolkit to control public opinion is quite successful with its formula of defaming dissent.
You can verify how effective "this toolkit" is when people have no worries buying petrol for 100Rs a ltr, When unemployment and crippling economy are okay then bail of an alleged toolkit-jeevi is shocking because, in New India, bail is becoming the exception not the rule. The past one week for 22-year old Disha Ravi was no less than the battle of Plassey. She had to go through a lot of name calling as well as numerous unspeakable abuses. People had painted her somehow as the culprit behind the destruction of ancient Indian heritage. But, Judge Dharamvir Rana thought otherwise by granting Disha bail. His judgment is an important lesson in civics as well.


Point #1: RIGHT TO QUESTION

His judgment has reminded us that "questioning authority is a fundamental right". The offence of sedition cannot be invoked to minister to the wounded vanity of the governments. In other words, the sedition law should not be misused. Even the British have let go of the sedition law but we stick to it like fevicol.

Point #2: RISE PEOPLE

Justice Rana made another beautiful remark. An aware and assertive citizenry in contradistinction with an indifferent or docile citizenry is indisputably a sign of healthy and vibrant democracy. In simple words, sheep-like behaviour cannot sustain a free, democratic society.

Point #3: DIVERSITY IS THE ESSENCE

Does history permit dissent? The court recalled a shloka from Rig Veda. This 5000 yr old civilization of ours has never been averse to ideas from varied quarters. And I quote " let noble thoughts come from all directions." We may have forgotten this in New India where the focus is only on uniformity and not on the diversity of thought.

Point #4: RIGHT TO GLOBAL AUDIENCE

In New India, the internal matter is an essential tool why give others a chance to gossip about our internal affairs? However when foreigners applaud India then it's okay. Also, we can interfere in others' internal matters but they can't. The court clarified that the right to dissent is firmly enshrined in Article 19 (freedom of speech which includes the right to seek a global audience) Meaning freedom of thought and expression internally and globally as long as it's within the law.

Point #5: STORY OF WHATSAPP GROUP

Disha Ravi had formed a Whatsapp group to call the international farmer strike. Then later she deleted the group so to hide her links with Poetic Justice foundation Allegedly. Furthermore, the co-accused Shantanu Muluk was present in Delhi, as claimed, to create tension. Justice Rana found no such offence creation of the group, supporting farmers and editing a toolkit is not a crime. Shantanu Muluk can participate in a protest as per his choice. ~The week-long investigation of news channels driven to waste.

Point #6: THE BAIL

There was no adequate evidence against Disha. "Considering the scanty and sketchy evidence available on record, I do not find any palpable reasons to breach the general rule of Bail against a 22-year-old young lady with absolute blemish free criminal antecedents and having firm roots in the society and send her to jail." Meaning that the 5-day police interrogation did not find anything substantiable apart from ridiculous allegations. #conspiracy Disha has been granted bail but there are others who haven't yet. By the way, the police will be investigating further in Disha's case but the word is out that dissent is not welcome. No questions, no protests. Stay quiet or F.I.R.


CONCLUSION

Justice Rana's judgment may not change the perception instantly. Because nobody cares enough about false, inconsequential arrests plus the opposition is long dead. There is hardly any opposition like Disha Ravi, Ravi Shankar Prasad was a 21 year old andolan jeevi back in his day. To oppose emergency a part of J.P. Andolan went to jail also! Another example is the late Arun Jaitley Ji...who became an andolan jeevi, aged 23, immediately after declaration of emergency. He spent about 20 months in jail due to his protest. But he was never called anti-national. He went on to become finance minister of India. Talk about another young man in 1973 associated with ABVP. He took part at the biggest ever Nav-Nirman movement in Gujarat. He is today India's prime minister.

So Justice Rana's judgment is a reminder that government is not equal to the country. Also, that dissent is an integral part of democracy. Dissent is not sedition. It is about time that people come to terms with it and stop being so cool/apolitical. Demand honest journalism, propagate facts on social media. Take a chill pill. Otherwise, we will always find ourselves amid caste and religion based politics when the world will be progressing. That's why don't be an andh-bhakt be a deshbhakt.




THANKYOU
ANDH BHAKT