Freedom of Speech

We often come encounter very pathetic, distracting & saddening pictures of poverty across the length and breadth of India, right at our door steps, nooks and corners of our residences, behind high rise buildings and ultra modern malls. Farmers are starving and committing suicides, poor children studying in pathetic school buildings, common citizen struggling for a decent health service in poor hospitals, humanity surviving in slums in inhuman conditions etc. etc. The list is long but the few examples give a glimpse of disturbing realities in India. That is even after seventy years of independence. I don’t want to put your mood off and disturb your senses by highlighting the sad  facts but no one can escape from these realities without getting affected from it in one form or other, irrespective of the fact that you may be a wealthy and well placed person with enough comforts of life.

I have a question to the so called intellectuals and liberals who have opinions to express on each and every event in the country, sitting in plum and cozy drawing rooms and TV studios. After anti national sloganeering in JNU by few students and subsequent police actions, these liberals, joined by some political parties and even media, with vested interests are alleging that the freedom of speech is in danger and is being curtailed by the present government. I want to ask them what is the meaning of “freedom of speech” to poor farmers who find it difficult to feed his family and force themselves to commit suicide?  What is the meaning of “freedom of speech” for little children who do not have school buildings? What is the meaning of “freedom of speech” to poor citizens who struggle for basic health facilities? What is the meaning of “freedom of speech” to slum dwellers living in inhuman conditions? What is the meaning of “freedom of speech” to the poors who sleep on footpaths? What is the meaning of "freedom of speech" to citizens who do not get even pure drinking water to drink?

I would like the intellectuals, liberals and the great politicians to demand the development of the humanity first, demand the welfare and progress of farmers first, demand good habitation and healthy living environment for poor citizens first, demand good health and hospital facilities for all first, demand good school facilities for children first and above all, demand the progress of Nation First. Else, your demand and slogans for “freedom of speech” is self defeating, false, taking India on backward path, mere self serving tool and in a sense anti national!