oppn parties Freedom To Spew Hate Not Part Of Freedom of Expression

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  • Allahabad HC said that the UP Police is acting as law unto themselves as they detained a person unlawfully even before his arrest
  • Kolkata witnesses traffic snarls on the first day of the Durga Puja festival as revellers start pnadal-hopping
  • Neha Bora was subsequently released and Dipke is to appear before a magistrate today at noon
  • Delhi Police detained Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke, Neha Bora of AISA, student leaders and supporters ahead of a rally in Connaught Place demanding Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar's resignation. The protest followed the detention and jailing of two CJP leaders earlier in the week over demonstrations at Jantar Mantar
  • The Reserve Bank of India is considering further monetary tightening to counter capital outflows and increase the cost of betting against the rupee, according to bankers and analysts cited by Reuters. The measures follow recent rate increases and steps to drain liquidity as pressure on the currency and inflation concerns persist
  • India directed oil marketing companies to stop diverting sugar-based feedstocks for ethanol production in the 2026–27 supply year, according to a new tender issued on Friday. The companies have invited bids for 11 billion litres of ethanol made from alternatives including corn and broken rice, amid concerns about domestic sugar supplies and prices
  • Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said India's trade imbalance with China was growing sharply and attributed the problem partly to restrictions on Indian goods and services entering the Chinese market. China subsequently said it was ready to work with India to address mutual economic and trade concerns; India's trade deficit with China reached $69 billion in the first half of FY2026–27, up 27% year-on-year
  • Indian equity benchmarks extended their recovery on Friday, with the Sensex rising 413.66 points to close at 74,729.27 and the Nifty 50 gaining 148.80 points to settle at 23,146.15. Information technology shares, including Tech Mahindra, Infosys and TCS, helped lift the indices
  • India defeated Zimbabwe by four wickets in the opening women's T20 International in Raipur, taking a 1–0 lead in the three-match series. Deepti Sharma and Niki Prasad combined in an 82-run stand after India's top order collapsed, helping the hosts chase down Zimbabwe's total of 114 for five
  • Indian wrestler Komal won bronze in the women's 59 kg category at the Under-23 World Wrestling Championships in Las Vegas, defeating Kazakhstan's Viktoriia Khusainova 7–2. Fellow Indian Amruta Pujari advanced to the women's 72 kg final after recording two pinfall victories
  • Indian shuttler Jagsher Singh Khangurra secured a bronze medal at the BWF World Junior Badminton Championships in Cairo
  • The Supreme Court of India upheld the Bombay High Court's decision quashing the 2020 write-off of ₹8,415 crore in additional tier-1 bonds issued by Yes Bank (Yes Bank). The court ruled that the bank's administrator lacked the authority to extinguish the bonds under the final reconstruction scheme, strengthening bondholders' claims
  • The Supreme Court issued notices to the Election Commission of India, Delhi Police and opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav, in separate petitions concerning electoral-roll revision and protests held in Delhi on October 10–12. The court also directed the preservation of CCTV footage linked to allegations of police excesses
  • The Supreme Court ruled that a person converting from Hinduism to Islam cannot automatically claim backward-class reservation benefits in the new religious community solely on the basis of their previous caste status. The judgment upheld the Madras High Court's decision striking down a 2024 Tamil Nadu government order that permitted such certification for specified communities
  • The Election Commission of India ordered a Special Summary Revision of electoral rolls in 14 states and three Union Territories, using January 1, 2027, as the qualifying date for voter eligibility. The draft rolls are scheduled for publication on November 12, claims and objections will be accepted until December 11, and the final rolls are due on January 4, 2027
Delhi HC refuses to ban CJP's Tiranga rally at Central Park in Connaught Place today /////// Police says will control and regulate it /////// NDMC closes the park for the public on Friday and Saturday
oppn parties
Freedom To Spew Hate Not Part Of Freedom of Expression

By Our Editorial Team
First publised on 2025-06-27 10:09:30

About the Author

Sunil Garodia The India Commentary view

The link between free speech and democracy has long been considered sacred. A thriving democracy depends on the ability of its citizens to speak freely, question authority, and express dissent without fear. But this essential freedom is under serious threat - in India and across the world.

In today's world, the attack on free speech takes new and dangerous forms. While outright censorship and silencing of dissent continue, a worrying trend has also emerged: hate speech is now being disguised as free speech. Polarising voices often use the shield of constitutional rights to spread divisive and inflammatory messages, especially during politically sensitive periods like elections.

The Supreme Court of India, in a recent and significant intervention, made it clear that the right to free speech does not include the right to hate speech. The court was responding to an unusual case where four state police forces attempted to arrest a man who had helped bring attention to a communal social media post following the Pahalgam terror attack. The court's response - stopping the arrest - highlighted the irony of punishing someone who stood up for social harmony, rather than the one who spread hatred.

Such incidents are not isolated. According to India Hate Lab, a global research organisation, anti-minority hate speech in India jumped by 74% in 2024, coinciding with the general election. This spike underlines how communal rhetoric is increasingly being used as a political tool, often under the guise of free expression.

In this new landscape, those who defend free speech - journalists, judges, civil society, and concerned citizens - must respond with greater urgency and adaptability. The tools and arguments used to protect speech must evolve. They must also ensure that the same protections are not misused to fuel hatred.

Ultimately, the fate of free speech is closely tied to the fate of democracy itself. When one is weakened, the other suffers. As democracies retreat across the globe, the pressure on free speech grows. Upholding this right - with all its necessary limits - is not just about protecting words. It is about protecting the very idea of democratic life.

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