Sedition vs. Freedom of Speech

Last year the sedition law became an extremely hot topic for discourse amongst media houses, political parties, liberals and intellectuals; courtesy of a protest held at a prominent university of India. The slogans raised, the words used, were termed seditious by the police and a student leader was arrested.

While one may have contrasting views as to what constitutes sedition, it is imperative that we know what it actually is in the eyes of law. Sedition was primarily part of the Indian Penal Code, 1860. So it’s a fact that it is a British made law from the colonial period.

At the time of the making of our Constitution, many of our Constitution makers held the view that since it is a British law which was used for convicting our freedom fighters, it should be done away with. However, that did not happen and Sec. 124-A is still a part of the IPC in force.