Rahul Gandhi welcomes SC’s observation over sedition law

Rahul Gandhi welcomes SC observations on sedition law which calls it “colonial” and asks whether we need it even after 75 years of independence

Rahul Gandhi, Congress leader and Member of Parliament, on Thursday, said that he welcomed the observation of Supreme Court over sedition law.

“We welcome this observation by the Supreme Court,” the Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said while commenting about the court’s observation.

A Supreme Court bench led by Chief Justice N V Ramana, while agreeing to look into petitions by the Editors Guild of India and a Major General (retired) challenging the constitutionality of the section on sedition in the Indian Penal Code (IPC), on Thursday expressed worry over the “enormous misuse” of a colonial-era criminal statute and questioned the Centre why it was not abolishing the clause used by the British to “silence” persons like Mahatma Gandhi in order to repress the independence fight.

Calling the sedition law as “colonial”, the Supreme Court observed, “Do we still need it after 75 years of Independence?”

The Supreme Court bench that consented to hear arguments challenging the validity of IPC section 124A (sedition) also sent a notice to the Centre.

“We do not know why the government is not making a decision. Your government has been getting rid of state laws,” it said.

Any statement or expression that “brings or attempts to bring into hatred or contempt or excites or attempts to excite disaffection towards the Government established by law in India” is punished by a potential penalty of life imprisonment under the non-bailable clause.