Sedition law and its development and current scenario over it in India

As a victim of colonization India is not an exception to the existence of sedition law in

colonial era to suppress the revolutionary movement and put the leaders behind the bar.
The British implemented this rule to curtail the wing of political leaders sought freedom.
The famous leaders in pre-independence era like Mahatma Gandhi, Balgangadhar Tilak etc.
were victim of sedition law and after after independence Sheikh Abdullah in Jammu and
Kashmir. It was perception that after independence the law will be repealed but so far it
exists in Indian constitution under section 124-A of the Indian Penal Code and still operation
till date. Several took place recently in which people were arrested under sedition law and if
not arrested then there was intention to slap the charge of sedition against Arundhati Roy,
Syed Ali Shah Geelani , Varavara Rao and others when the sought to release the prisoner
arrested in Jammu and Kashmir during rebellion movement. A recent case of 2015 when
Hardic Patel was arrested under sedition act when they were protesting and seeking
reservation for Patel community. Recently, a folk singer S. Kovan who objected the liquor
policy of the Tamil Nadu government in a song and government slapped him with charge of
despicable colonial sedition law.

Recent cases of sedition in India

1. A cartoonist name Aseem Trivedi from Kanpur was charged with sedition on the
ground of mocking Constitution through cartoon portrayed on the banner which
they were carrying during a rally of anticorruption crusader Anna Hazare in Mumbai.
Latter he posted it on facebook also. Therefore, he was charged against section 124-
A of Indian Penal Code and 66A Act of Information Technology and Section 2 of
Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act.
2. Binayak Sen was accused by Chhattisgarh government for violation of Special Public
Security Act 2005 (CSPSA) and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act 1967 and
supporting naxalites radical groups in state. He is an Indian Pediatrician and
important health specialist and activist.
3. Arundhati Roy, a noted writer , author and political activist was sought to be charged
with law of sedition for advocating independence in the Kashmir region. Roy
alongwithr Hurriyat leaders Syed Ali Shah Geelani and others was booked under
charge of sedition by Delhi police for their “anti-India” speech in a seminar in 2010.
4. Firebrand leader Praveen Togadia, an Indian doctor and advocate of “Hindu
Nationalism” was booked by Rajasthan government for in 2003 for defying the
prohibitory act and ban on distribution of tridents. He was charged with sedition
under section 121A of IPC for waging war and anti-national activity.
5. Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen MLA Akbaruddin Owaisi was slapped with the charge
of sedition by the district police of Karimnagar, for the purported hate speech he
delivered at Nirmal on 22 December 2013. He was booked under Sections 124 A, 120
B, 295 A, 188 and 505 of IPC.
6. Simaranjit Singh Mann was charged with four different cases of sedition against him.
He is president of Shiromani-Akali dal- Amritsar. He was accused of raising pro-
Khalistan slogan on June 6, 2005 in the golden temple premises on the 21st
anniversary of operation blue star. He also helped Bhindranwale in distribution arms
when he was posted in faridkot as a senior superintendent of police in 1980. He was
also accused of helping assassinator of Indira Gandhi but the prosecutor could not
prove it in court.