Right to freedom of speech crucial, says Vaishnaw
Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw emphasized freedom of speech's importance, urging its exercise within societal harmony and constitutional safeguards.
The right to freedom of speech is “one of the most important rights”, Union IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Thursday, as he highlighted the need to exercise that right “within the harmony of the society”.
Speaking at the Times Now Summit, the Union minister said that the society must work within the framework of the Constitution.
“I would like to very categorically say that we have to work, as a society, within the framework of our Constitution. Our Constitution has a very clear framework. The freedom of speech, the freedom of expression has been laid out [as] one of the most important rights that we have,” Vaishnaw said.
“The entire country respects it. All the arms of the government respect this law and that is part of our Constitution. The Constitution has also laid certain safeguards on it and those safeguards are as important as the right because if everybody follows the proper safeguards, then the society will work in a harmonious way,” he said.
Vaishnaw’s comments have come amid a raging controversy over comedian Kunal Kamra’s comments on Maharashtra deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde, where he called the latter a “traitor”. Kamra’s triggered a massive row with workers from Shinde’s Shiv Sena attacking the hotel where the comedian’s show was recorded, and several ruling MLAs in the state seeking his arrest.
At Thursday’s event, Vaishnaw sought to highlight the cultural differences in various societies.
“Ultimately, what is right in a different society, let’s say the Western society, may not be right in our society. There are different cultural contexts of everything. The way we have to express ourselves should be within the harmony of the society, I would say,” he said.
On the question if police summoning comedians for jokes was “extreme”, Vaishnaw said, “If the law of the land requires that, that should be done.”
He further said that it was the users’ responsibility to look at what they post online.
On a separate question on the country’s response to the US government considering tariffs, Vaishnaw said his colleague, commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal, was handling the matter. “Our country will come out very strong out of this entire process,” he said.
