Sedition case: ‘Is post on India’s defeat anti-national?’

Agra: A day after the Supreme Court put on hold trial in all sedition cases pending before courts across the country until the government re-examines and re-considers the provision of IPC section 124 dealing with the offence, a relative of a social activist in jail said the voice of dissent can no longer be suppressed.
The uncle of a Kashmiri student who was recently granted bail in a sedition case said the court’s directions are a great relief for everyone.
His 21-year-old nephew was charged with sedition for allegedly sending social media messages after India’s defeat to Pak in a T-20 match.
He said, “I have not understood till date why my nephew was charged with sedition? What is the definition of sedition? I have his WhatsApp messages on the basis of which he was charged. All he wrote was why the entire Indian team could not take a single wicket? Where is Jasprit Bumrah? Are these messages anti-national?”
Three Kashmiri students, who were enrolled in an engineering college in Agra under PM’s special scholarship scheme for J&K students, were charged with sedition in October last year for allegedly sending WhatsApp messages against the country after a T-20 World Cup match. In April this year, they were released on bail after over five months in Agra district jail.
The truth is that “my nephew was charged with sedition without doing anything wrong,” ,he added.
Raihana, wife of journalist Siddique Kappan, who is languishing in UP’s jails since October 2020 under charges of sedition and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, said, “Supreme Court’s verdict on sedition charges is a great step but the court should also rule similarly for the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, which too is being misused by governments to stifle free voice and dissent.”
Raihana told TOI that “many like my husband are behind bars for several years without proper trial and bail”. “I request the Supreme Court to direct the government to review UAPA too.”
She further said even if a thousand criminals escape, not one innocent person should be punished.
Kappan was arrested with three others — Atikur Rahman (29) of Muzaffarnagar, Masood Ahmad (29) from Bahraich and Aalam (38) from Rampur -- on October 5, 2020 while they were on way to Hathras to visit the family of a 19-year-old Dalit rape and murder victim. All were accused of being part of an internationally-funded “conspiracy” to stroke caste riots in UP in wake of the Hathras gang rape. All were charged with sedition and UAPA by Mathura police.
Rehman's father-in-law Shekhavat Khan said, “Speaking against those in power can’t be anti-national. The Supreme Court’s decision of staying the sedition charges gives a clear message that voices of dissent can no longer be suppressed.”
He added that Rehman was very vocal and active during the Citizenship Amendment Act and National Register of Citizens protests and is suffering because of that, he claimed.