Free speech in this country is a joke: Senior Journalist Nilanjana Roy
New Delhi: Indian Journalist, literary critic, and author Nilanjana Roy on Thursday said free speech in India has become a joke, amidst the debate over the fundamental rights of the citizens being seized in the current regime.
Taking to her Twitter account, Nilanjana wrote, “So I have a joke to share in honour of comedians and cartoonists who've been under pressure, in jail or facing cases lately.”
She further added “Free speech in this country." That's it. That's the joke.”
The tweet came hours after the Madhya Pradesh High Court rejected the bail plea of comedian Munawar Faruqi who was arrested on January 2 for allegedly hurting religious sentiments by making comments and comic jokes on Hindu deities and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
So I have a joke to share in honour of comedians and cartoonists who've been under pressure, in jail or facing cases lately.
— Nilanjana Roy (@nilanjanaroy) January 28, 2021
"Free speech in this country."
That's it. That's the joke. ??
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Instagram removes BJP’s post claiming Cong ‘will snatch wealth of non-muslims’ following backlash
New Delhi: An animated video post shared on BJP’s official Instagram handle, asserting that the Congress party would snatch wealth from non-Muslims to ‘distribute it to its favorite community of invaders,’ has sparked significant backlash. Following the uproar, the photo sharing platform has taken down the post, reports Newslaundry.com.
Meanwhile, it is uncertain whether the post was removed by the BJP or by Instagram following mass reporting by several users as “misinformation” and “hate speech”. The video depicted Rahul Gandhi holding the Congress manifesto which transforms into the logo of the Muslim league. Furthermore, it sought support for PM Modi from every ‘Bharatiya,’ who is also shown wearing a saffron turban.
According to the report, it also contained a clip of PM Modi alleging that the former PM Manmohan Singh had said, “Muslims have the first claim on our resources,” insinuating that if the Congress were to assume power, it would confiscate the money and assets of non-Muslims, redistributing them to Muslims, whom it favored. Labeling Muslims as ‘infiltrators’, the video depicted historical invaders as looters who plundered India's resources and suggested that the Congress party continues to empower individuals from the same community.
The video then communicated that the Congress party’s manifesto is “nothing but Muslim league’s ideology in disguise. If you are a non-Muslim, Congress will snatch your wealth and distribute it to Muslims.” It also slinged the BJP’s official slogan ‘abki baar, 400 paar,’ and called that it was the need of the hour, since Modi only has the “strength to stop the Congress party’s evil plans.”
Similar claims have also been made by several BJP leaders. Recently, Union Minister Anurag Thakur stated that the Congress intends to “Give your children's property to Muslims.”
