SC sedition order must be viewed in context of govts positive suggestions: BJP

With the Opposition targeting the Centre after the Supreme Court put on hold the application of sedition law, the BJP on Wednesday said the order must be viewed in the context of the overall positive suggestion of the government that it wishes to examine the matter which has been “duly accepted” by the court.

Party spokesperson Nalin Kohli noted that the Modi government has so far removed over 1,500 archaic and obsolete laws and over 25,000 compliances to make citizens lives easier. In its significant order on the sedition law that has been under intense public scrutiny, a bench headed by Chief Justice N V Ramana said there was a need to balance the interest of civil liberties and the interests of citizens with that of the State. The bench, also comprising justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli, stayed all proceedings in sedition cases while directing the Centre and states to not register any fresh FIR invoking sedition charges until the sedition law is “under reconsideration”.

The government in an earlier affidavit had said that it was willing to consider the issues involving the law. Referring to the affidavit, the BJP spokesperson said, “The Supreme Court order must be viewed with the overall positive suggestions of the government that it wishes to examine the matter. It has been duly accepted by the court.” The Congress has hailed the Supreme Courts decision, saying a clear-cut message has gone to subjugators of dissent that “you can no longer suppress the voice of truth” and those critical of the government must be heard.

The Left parties have demanded that the Supreme Court scrap the sedition law altogether, alleging it has been misused during the BJP rule.

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