Topic Of The Day:-“Protecting The Intolerant”
Here, however, the law is only a part of the problem. The greater issue concerns its interpretation. In a just and tolerant society, one would imagine the courts would accord to rules of this kind the narrowest possible construal, allowing the greatest possible latitude to free expression. But, regrettably, the courts have distorted this vision. By refusing to interfere with the Karnataka High Court’s verdict which had upheld the ban, the Supreme Court has effectively understood Section 295A as a shield that legitimately protects the intolerant against the merest hint of inconvenient speech. In this case, Mahadevi’s book was banned purportedly because she substituted the original words in Lord Basaveshwara’s Vachanas. According to the government, she ought not to have changed the penname of Basaveshwara from “Kudalasangamadeva” to “Lingadeva,” as such a substitution would inevitably hurt the feelings and sentiments of the “Veerashaiva” community in the State. Her actions, the government claimed, militated against Section 295A, and, therefore, the ban on her book was entirely justified. Now, the Karnataka High Court was certainly mindful of Section 295A’s language. For an offence to be committed under the provision, not only must the speech or expression in question insult or attempt to insult the religion or the religious beliefs of a class of citizens, but it must also have been made with the deliberate and malicious intention of outraging such religious feelings. Inexplicably, however, both these conditions, the court found, were met by the book. Mahadevi, the court said, had no right to “impose her philosophy on others”. “She can certainly publish a book containing her own philosophy, but certainly she cannot speak her philosophy through some other person who is held in high esteem by a particular class of society,” it wrote. “The petitioner knows full well that if she were to preach that philosophy, it may not be acceptable to all and obviously for that reason, she wants to advocate or propagate her philosophy through the mouth of Lord Basaveshwara by effecting certain changes in the Vachanas… which support her philosophy.” This supposed knowledge that her philosophy would not have otherwise been acceptable, and, therefore, that the author transmitted her own views through Basaveshwara’s name was, for the court, an indicationof Mahadevi’s deliberate and malicious intent to cause religious hurt.
MEANINGS AND WORDS
1) Latitude
Meaning: Scope for freedom of action or thought.
Example: Journalists have considerable latitude in criticizing public figures.
Synonyms: Freedom, Scope
Antonyms: Constraint, Restriction
2) Regrettably
Meaning: Unfortunately (used to express apology for or sadness at something).
Example: Regrettably, last night’s audience was a meagre one.
3) Interfere
Meaning: Prevent (a process or activity) from continuing or being carried out properly.
Example: A holiday job would interfere with his studies.
Synonyms: Impede, Obstruct
4) Verdict
Meaning: A decision on an issue of fact in a civil or criminal case or an inquest.
Example: The jury returned a verdict of not guilty.
Synonyms: Judgement, Decree
5) Merest
Meaning: Used to emphasize how small or insignificant someone or something is.
Example: Questions that cannot be answered by mere mortals.
Synonyms: Trifling, Bare
6) Purportedly
Meaning: As appears or is stated to be true, though not necessarily so; allegedly.
Example: The photos purportedly show Nina with a lover.
7) Pen name
Meaning: An assumed name used by a writer instead of their real name.
Example: His early work was written under the pen name of Owen Meredith.
Synonyms: Pseudonym, Alias
8) Militated
Meaning: (Of a fact or circumstance) be a powerful or conclusive factor in preventing.
Example: These fundamental differences will militate against the two communities coming together.
Synonyms: Prejudice, Resist
Antonyms: Reinforce
9) Outraging
Meaning: Arouse fierce anger, shock, or indignation in (someone).
Example: The public were outraged at the brutality involved.
Synonyms: Enrage, Infuriate
10) Preach
Meaning: Give moral advice to someone in a pompously self-righteous way.
Example: Viewers want to be entertained, not preached at.
Synonyms: Moralize, Sermonize
11) Indication
Meaning: A sign or piece of information that indicates something.
Example: The visit was an indication of the improvement in relations between the countries.
Synonyms: Sign, Indicator
12) Intent
Meaning: Intention or purpose.
Example: With alarm she realized his intent.
Synonyms: Aim, Purpose
