Open letter

 

Strange are the ways of the judiciary in India. On the one hand, it is firm about protecting the liberty and freedom of individuals as enshrined in the Constitution of India while on the other, a judicial magistrate passes orders to file a first information report or FIR, against citizens who write to the Prime Minister expressing concern over growing incidents of mob lynching (Page 1, “49 booked for sedition for anti-lynching letter”, October 5).

The freedom of expression too is a constitutional right and it is the prerogative of the Prime Minister to respond suitably when such open letters are addressed to elected leaders of the state.

There is no rhyme or reason why a party member should implead himself as another representative of the people to seek to defend the Prime Minister. And what a colossal waste of judicial time, apart from the implied directive to the police to act on pursuing the first information report to its logical end. As if our courts are not already burdened with mountains of undisposed cases.

Anand Aravamudhan,

Chennai

Every right-thinking Indian will be concerned and perplexed over this appalling and worrisome development. Is the citizen’s right to criticise the actions and policies of the government in jeopardy or coming to an end? People should not be faulted if they start asking a crucial question: Where is the nation heading? It would be only in the fitness of things if the Prime Minister himself takes exception to the filing of the FIR against the celebrities.

C.G. Kuriakose,

Kothamangalam, Kerala