Dissent is the cornerstone of democracy, says legal scholar
Mohan Gopal says attacks on freedoms under Article 19 reflect growing authoritarianism and must be firmly resisted
Legal scholar G. Mohan Gopal, founder-chairman of the National Court Management Systems Committee of the Supreme Court of India, emphasized the importance of dissent as a cornerstone of democracy in a recent seminar. Addressing the "Right to Dissent and the Constitution of India" event organized by the All India Lawyers’ Union (AILU) State Committee, Gopal highlighted that protests are a natural expression of differing opinions, which he described as a "biological reality."
He argued that recent attacks on channels of dissent, such as those seen at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, signal a growing authoritarianism that could undermine the foundations of Indian democracy. Gopal cautioned against allowing peaceful protests to dissipate, warning that this could lead to the erosion of democratic values. He attributed the stifling of democratic voices to a "culture of obedience" and a misconception that dissent could lead to anarchy, and stressed the importance of protecting fundamental freedoms under Article 19 of the Constitution.
Brief written by urgent.news from The Hindu's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
