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OPINION February 26, 2021 | The Indian Eye 19

farmers, disha and a victory for women

Views and opinions from the top commentators in Indian media

eople often wonder why right to speak not only about
a leader like Trump lies, the sexual harassment that she
Pwhy he spreads hatred or was subjected to but also of that
why he tries to divide the people. experienced by others.”
They do not understand that
this is an exercise by Trump to Jayna Kothari,
train the people. People are sur- The Indian Express
prised by the prime minister’s “Our democracy needs to
statement in parliament, when revive the festivals of dissent
he ridiculed the farmers’ move- it was famous for. The idea of
ment. sedition and the suppression
He believes that farmers are of dissent have turned our pol-
fools who can be misguided by ity into a dismal entity. To give
some “professional agitators” voice to the voiceless is now an
and “parasites”, who are driving anti-national activity. Dissent,
the movement at the farmers’ which literally anchored the in-
expense. He says the movement formal economy of a democra-
is being sponsored by foreign cy, is now treated as epidemic.
hands. He says this when the The regime seems afraid of a
movement is becoming bigger new generation finding its rele-
by the day, spreading wider. vance and articulation around
Yet the minister of agri- ecology and environmentalism.
culture told a white lie in par- Its ham-handedness is turning
liament. He said that there is figures like Ridhima Pandey,
“confusion and opposition” only the Uttarakhand activist, and
in one state regarding the new Disha Ravi into iconic figures.
agricultural laws. And even af- They will become part of the
ter millions of people took to new swaraj, a life-giving imagi-
the streets against the laws, the nation, for a new idea of a plan-
prime minister does not pay etary earth. Suddenly planetary
heed. The prime minister has Climate activist Disha Ravi being produced at Patiala House Court by Delhi issues, from climate change to
had a lot of practice in this strat- Police in New Delhi last week (ANI) the future of farming or the fate
egy. As chief minister of Guja- of the tribe — each a critical hu-
rat, after the massacre of 2002, ideology opposed to the gov- able to have any public or pro- man rights issue — have been
when the world criticized him erning regime are imprisoned fessional existence. This modus defined as anti-national.
for mass violence against Mus- or muzzled, is bound to fail, operandi was initiated after sev- The demonology being built
lims, what was his reaction? particularly if fear is the domi- eral revelations of sexual ha- around Thunberg and climate
nant emotion. The first step to rassment were made publicly in change is fascinating to watch.
apoorvanand, unleashing the “animal spirits” India, especially when the per- After Covid-19, India has been
The Wire is surely to recognize that fear sons accused of sexual harass- systematically liberalizing envi-
“Freedom is indivisible. and control over thought and ment were well-known figures. ronmental rules, allowing cor-
Freedom cannot be compart- expression, are the biggest de- Film actors such as Alok Nath, porations to play the role of
mentalized. The authoritari- terrent to those spirits.” Arjun Sarja, Nana Patekar and birds of prey. The issue is not
an economic miracle of China sagarika ghose, scientist R K Pachauri all filed just that India is seeking to de-
may be a role model for some, criminal and civil defamation stroy its future; it has turned de-
but in India, given the dizzying The Times of India complaints and suits against mocracy and citizenship into an
diversities of economic life, the “Defamation complaints the women who had filed com- arid game.”
evidence shows that economic serve a dual purpose for those plaints against them or those
growth is best achieved in times accused of sexual harassment: who supported the victims, in- shiv visvanathan,
The Telegraph
of civic and social freedom. They not only want to protect cluding lawyers and others such
The attempt to spur free pri- their own reputation but also as Priya Ramani.
vate enterprise when a vast state to ensure that the complainant The verdict in M J Akbar’s Every week, we look at what
apparatus is severely constrict- is proved guilty of making false complaint of defamation is, the top commentators in the
ing civil and democratic rights, statements, is publicly shamed therefore, extremely important. Indian media are talking about
when sedition charges are being and is harassed to such an ex- It throws out his criminal com- and bring to you a slice of their
opinions and comments
slapped, when those holding any tent that she would never be plaint and upholds Ramani’s

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