Tharoor urged Modi to take a public stand welcoming dissent and assure the nation of his "commitment to upholding Freedom of Expression even when it involves disagreement with you or your government."
The book dwells on a list of promises made by Modi during his campaign for 2014 Lok Sabha polls and claims that he has failed to deliver on them.
Don't let people with repugnant ideas abrogate your rights by taking advantage of your commitment to free speech, observes Mihir S Sharma
In a change of stand, days after resenting police action against student editors over campus magazines containing remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala on Thursday said though the government respected freedom of expression, it was not proper to depict a person in any manner.
The volunteers are asked to keep an eye on posts which are against the sovereignty and integrity of India, against the defence of India, against the security of the state, against friendly relations with foreign states, content aimed at disturbing public order, disturbing communal harmony and child sex abuse material.
President Ram Nath Kovind on Friday strongly defended the three new agri laws saying their benefits have begun reaching 10 crore small farmers instantly, and condemned as 'very unfortunate' the Republic Day violence and 'dishonour' to the tricolour during the tractor parade by the protesting farm unions in New Delhi.
On joining the party, Kumar said, "I am joining Congress because it's not just a party, it's an idea. It's a country's oldest and most democratic party, and I am emphasising on 'democratic'...Not just me many think that country can't survive without the Congress..."
The RSS leader says that killing a cow was not approved by any religion.
President Pranab Mukherjee has said that the return of awards by writers and intellectuals was "evidently spontaneous" and a way of protest that has triggered a nation-wide debate on the issue of intolerance, a release issued on Thursday by a group of intellectuals has claimed.
Bharatiya Janata Party President Amit Shah has said that nationalism was being questioned in the name of freedom of expression and "propaganda" against nationalism could not be considered as freedom of speech.
Indians supposedly have the right to freedom, and the right to equality, which cuts across gender, religion, sexual orientation, etc, observes Devangshu Datta.
She further said that the religious dress codes should not be imposed on players.
In his letter to the vice-chancellor of JNU, Bhaduri expressed pain at throttling of dissent by the university administration. He alleged a 'deliberate attempt to throttle the free and lively atmosphere of debate and discussion'.
'Soli steadfastly believed in Voltaire's famous dictum that he would disagree violently with anyone but defend to death that person's right to disagree with him.'
Expressing his concerns about India under Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party, India-born author Salman Rushdie said that the attacks on freedom of expression could worsen if the Bharatiya Janata Party comes to power.
Backing writers and others over the issue of "growing climate of intolerance" in the country, music maestro Zubin Mehta today said government should not ostracise them as doing so would amount to "cultural dictatorship".
'It is not that I don't want to say "Jai Shri Ram".' I only said I will not say this slogan under any pressure.'
'It is inevitable that people around the world -- including from America and China -- will have different viewpoints over different issues'
'We are living in an undeclared Emergency.' 'Declared Emergency was easier to handle.' 'Nobody knows where an undeclared Emergency will take the country.'
The BJP said moderate and liberal Muslims take pride in raising nationalist slogans like this but hardliners with medieval beliefs raise such issues for their own sectarian interests.
'The Left brands any criticism of Islam -- its history, its dogmas -- 'Islamophobic', conflating criticism of an ideology with criticism of a people,' notes Vikram Johri.
An Amnesty International report has accused three major US companies-Google, Microsoft and Yahoo-of helping the Chinese government crush political dissent and freedom of expression.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced the move, saying he was carrying out President Donald Trump's orders. "Today, I am announcing visa restrictions on current and former CCP officials who are believed to be responsible for, or complicit in, undermining Hong Kong's high degree of autonomy, as guaranteed in the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration or undermining human rights and fundamental freedoms in Hong Kong," Pompeo said.
After skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Shikhar Dhawan, it's former cricketer Virender Sehwag, who has now jumped into the political bandwagon. The former India opener posted on his official Twitter account, appealing agitating protesters to cease violence immediately and sort out the issues peacefully by staying within the limits of Indian constitution. "I request all my brothers to voice their differences and protest by staying within the limits of our constitution. We are saviors and not violent predators," Sehwag posted on his twitter account," Sehwag wrote on his Twitter handle. "Our army and sportspersons fight for the country's pride. Our (the citizen's) passion should work in the benefit of India and not against it," he added. Sehwag's comments come in the backdrop of a raging debate on freedom of expression after an event against the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru was held at the Jawaharlal Nehru University campus where anti-national slogans were allegedly raised. Earlier Dhoni had also voiced his opinion by hailing the Indian army, saying that the nation is in a position to debate on freedom of expression because of the men in uniform.
The Balochistan chapter of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan has condemned the provincial government's decision to close down the magazine published from Balochistan.
Bhushan submitted that his tweet about Chief Justice of India riding a motorbike was to underline his anguish at the non-physical functioning of the Supreme Court for last more than three months, with hardly any cases being heard.
Hooda took to Facebook on Monday to clarify that him standing up for Sehwag was not a justification of the violence that broke outside Ramjas College, neither was he being insensitive to the daughter of a soldier who gave his life for the country.
'Many already toe the line, those on the fence will be nudged to stand with the government even more, those who are critical will face trouble soon.'
Homegrown microblogging platform Koo said the new guidelines will help clarify the responsibilities of intermediaries.
Nasscom recommended that there should be 'no double dipping'.
Tamil film actor Kamal Haasan said, "Mersal was certified. Don't re-censor it. Counter criticism with logical response. Don't silence critics. India will shine when it speaks."
Amnesty International has also launched a campaign to highlight the cases of prisoners of conscience, imprisoned for the expression of their peaceful views online in countries like China, Vietnam and Iran.
'This government is feeling uneasy because IT cell narratives are being demolished by cartoons.' 'If narratives are so weak to be demolished by cartoons, then they must be fake ones.'
'India is now surrounded on its north, west and east by unfriendly neighbours -- Pakistan, China, Nepal and Bangladesh -- some of whom are openly inimical,' notes Amulya Ganguli.
A day after his ministry rebuked Twitter for not complying with its orders to take down inflammatory content, Information Technology Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said social media platforms cannot give differential treatment while handling problems on Capitol Hill and the Red Fort.
The price for pushing the envelope beyond the comfort zone that the land of storytelling is used to is a hefty one, observes Meghna Chadha.
Microblogging site Twitter's explanations to a parliamentary panel on showing Ladakh as part of China are inadequate and the act amounts to criminal offence attracting imprisonment of seven years, committee chairman Meenakshi Lekhi said on Wednesday.
Backing beleaguered Tamil writer Perumal Murugan, who has withdrawn himself from literary world after a controversy over one of his novels, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam Treasurer M K Stalin on Friday said the former was being "targeted and hounded" by "intolerant people".
'Losers who cannot influence people even in their own party keep cribbing that the entire world is controlled by the BJP and RSS'
Journalist Prashant Kanojia was arrested by the Uttar Pradesh police on August 18 for a retweet and has been in custody ever since.
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