My Right to Say It

I disagree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.

- Voltaire (1694-1778), French Revolutionary, Thinker, Writer.

I’m happy that Supreme Court quashed the 23 defamation complaints filed against South Indian Actress Kushboo in various places in Tamil Nadu for her alleged remarks on pre-marital sex. [News from The Hindu, Times of India] Kushboo said that in a survey conducted by India Today in September 2005 on ‘pre-marital sex’, and expressed her views on the need for teaching the younger generation sexology either in educational institutions or by parents.

Not that I endorse her view or not. But that the fundamental right of freedom of speech and expression has been saved.

Supreme Court makes several interesting observations in their verdict. It says:

“When two adults want to live together, what is the offence? Does it amount to an offence? Living together is not an offence. It cannot be an offence.”

It also asked to produce evidence of girls eloping, inspiring from Kushboo’s statement. Around a month back, while reserving its judgement, the bench had commented on the live-in relationship of Lord Krishna and Radha, adding to their point that Live-in relationship and pre-marital sex with consent is not a crime.

Now I seriously hope there will not be another defamation case filed against Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justices Deepak Verma and B S Chauhan.

Hope the Judiciary in India will do the same to numerous defamation and Public Interest Litigation cases – of Paintings and Cartoons, Sex Education, FTV, Valentines Day etcetra. In fact we should have a law to handle the moral police in India.