SEDITION CHARGE FOR CHEERING PAKISTAN TEAM: Ignorance or Politics
1. What is the matter?
- Few students from Kashmir studying in a college in Meerut (on a scholarship offered by PM of India) cheered for Pakistan team. They were sitting in the TV room of their hostel. Subsequently, the college authorities suspended them and sent them back to Kashmir. The matter was reported to the police and the local police charged them with sedition.
2. Was it right for the college authorities to suspend them or report the matter to the police?
- The college authorities claim that they suspended the students for breaking furniture, disturbing the decorum and cheering for Pakistan. As Meerut is a sensitive city and many communal riots happened in the past, the authorities took a safe approach and sent them back to Kashmir.
- No, it was not right to suspend them on this issue. They should have been called and a simple warning would have solved the purpose. By reporting it to the police, the authorities actually blew the matter out of the proportions.
- Also, I think that the local police was ignorant in applying sedition charge in this case. Normally, police doesn't use its mind to apply the charges. In many cases it is the court which finally corrects the charges.
3. Was it right for the students to cheer for Pakistan?
- Of course, yes. While watching a sport, the passions are high and enthusiasm is there. If they cheered for a winning team who played better then what's wrong with that. Should people stop appreciating the game or talent of sports person just because of artificially created barriers?
- The sedition charge was applied mainly because the students were from Kashmir and more so they were cheering for Pakistan.
- Also, they were young and should have been handled with care. What message they will send to their fellow Kashmiris?
- What about the freedom of expression of those students. Why the application of laws be so selective?
4. Do you think the sedition charge would have been applied if the opposition were Sri Lanka or England?
- I don't think so. It is because of our sensitivity towards Pakistan issue that the charges were applied.
- Previously, in Chennai, Indian crowd cheered for Pakistan team when they won a match against India. No sedition charge was applied then.
5. What are the larger implications of this incident on youth of Kashmir?
- This will further alienate the Kashmir youth. They will be reluctant to come and study in Indian universities in future.
- It will hamper the process of national integration of Kashmir with India
6. What is the meaning of sedition? Isn't it too harsh to apply sedition charge in this case?
- It is an act against the security of a country.
- It is applied when somebody spreads hatred or is involved in contempt of government.
- Yes, it is too harsh to apply sedition charge because those students were not hampering the security of country by cheering for Pakistan by siting in a TV room.
7. What does it show about the Indian democracy?
- Indian democracy provides many basic rights to the people which includes freedom of expression, etc
- In this way it promotes diversity and any differences can be resolved through discussions and debates.
- But, in this case, the uniformity of behavior was emphasized. The students were not given an opportunity to clarify themselves and were forced to leave the hostel.
- Also, all the 67 students were sent back. Why? The ideal thing would have been to identify the people who shouted and warn them.This shows the deep prejudice against Kashmiris in the minds of Indian people.
8. What kind of nationalism it is?
- This is a kind of idiotic nationalism which is peripheral in nature.
- It is not patriotism on the part of college authorities or police but chauvinism.
- If we want Kashmiris to cheer for India then make them feel that they belong to Indian nation. By force, it is impossible to make them cheer for India.
9. What are your views on politicization of cricket or sports in general?
- Sports can play only a limited role in influencing the politics. But, the politics can affect the sports very badly. For e.g. When the relations between India and Pakistan deteriorates then the cricket teams don't visit other country.
- So, as far as possible the sports must be kept out of politics.
- Cricket diplomacy had also failed to improve relations between India and Pakistan
10. Will Sania Mirza be charged by sedition if she cheers for her husband who plays for Pakistan or if she cheers for Pakistan in enthusiasm?
- If it is done then it will be a blot on the Indian democracy.
I agree that the sedition charges shouldn't have be applied...but don't you think that if we keep these incidences(cheering for pakistan by kashmiri) happening then things might aggravate further !
ReplyDeletethough i condemn the move by UP police to impose sedition charges on those boys...but the step by college administration to suspend them and ask them to leave the college campus might be the right one..as in a sensitive town like Meerut there is always a great possibility of such situations leading to serious law and order problem. In order to diffuse tension and prevent any violence such step is justified . More so in light of the recent muzzafarnagar riots , adequate measures by administration were neccessary. It is convenient for us to criticize the decision of college administration now..but what if it would have errupted into violence leading to loss of human lives.
DeleteJust think over my argument. The audience was of college students. As college and universities are the center of learning and teaching the diversity present in India, it was least likely that they would have reacted to such incident by communal clashes. This situation can be compared with that of release of controversial movies where also there is fear of violence. But, supreme court has given few guidelines in that case. If you extend the intent of that guidelines here, you will that there is no point in sending those students back.
Delete@Manish: If you want them to cheer for India, then don't do it by force but create conditions so that they cheer for India from their hearts. This is a peaceful way of expressing their feelings and we should not demoralize or alienate them further.
DeleteCharges of sedition are totally wrong. Its true that Merrut is a sensitive place and that is why authorities should have made security provisions for Kashmiri student rather than sending them back.
ReplyDeleteThis incident will give further rise to sense of discontent among kashmiri youth. if we look at the issue in more broader context then we can say that the whole Muslim youth is victimised on the name of patriotism and which leads to frustration among them. Because of this frustration at times some of them join terror groups. I think this kind of approach for national integration is not healthy and can further alienate a big section of minority.
Very well put, all the issues covered. Would be great if u could include the actual debate of freesom of speech or the era of radicalism as portrayed by intolerance towards movies, books etc
ReplyDelete