Supreme Court Decision On Section 66A Lays The Basis Of Fifth Pillar Of Democracy
By Dr. Vivek Kumar Srivastava
25 March, 2015
Countercurrents.org
Supreme Court has again emerged as the custodian of Indian citizens’ rights. Its decision on Section 66A is historic. It has framed once again the canons of public and political life. Section 66A of cyber law, introduced by the UPA regime in 2008 had given unrestricted power to police which many times acted under the political pressure. The historic decision will now limit the police power in the country, a structure which carries colonial legacy and requires immediate reform.
The decision of Supreme Court has two other major fallout for this country.
First India has now unrestricted freedom to speak and express on social sites, albeit qualified by the reasonable restrictions as mentioned in Art. 19 of the constitution. This development makes India one of the most advanced countries in the world where people can release their grievances against the system, and against the leaders who for no attainments still glorify themselves. It gives Indian people a tool to create public opinion on any issue. Internet is now a force with a capacity to channelize the people’s anger, desires, and expectations in unified manner towards its destination.
Now public opinion creation is right of every Indian. Any Indian can start, generate, initiate the discussion even unpalatable to many without any restriction. We need to control the governance with its help. Social media is now new instrument to protect democracy. This decision shifts democratic power in the hands of people.
Internet now becomes a potent force like mainstream media. Media is fourth pillar. Internet is fifth pillar of democracy. It has its own existence and value. Supreme Court lays the basis for the same.
Second Indian people will now have better control over their political leaders. The Indian political leaders have emerged as a class apart. They move with siren blaring vehicles, with a habit of power expression in front of its own citizens. They place themselves as elite of the social world. Common Indian looks with wet eyes for even a single comfort and cry for many simple things. Farmers die but politicians look to the problem from different perspectives. They speak many times unconstitutional things but no action is initiated because they are at the helm of affairs.
This will now be changed. People at the social sites will be able to highlight the wrong doings of the political elites. They will now be under restriction. There is now new control mechanism in the hands of people. This is democratic instrument and innumerable ones can collaborate. This will dismantle the feudalism in political power structure. This will start process of making elite the common people of the land.
The historic decision also opens the avenues for the empowerment at citizen level. Now better citizen teaching is possible. People can initiate disseminating the information, knowledge about the Indian politics, constitution. Consequently constitutionalism will be enhanced, better citizenry will emerge.
This is start of new phase of political socialisation. The truth which remained many times hidden and was difficult to transfer to large number of the people, will now be transferred. These efforts will not only strengthen the constitutional order and democracy but will also push the country towards the progress.
This is victory of the common people. This is new power in the hands of young generation which has much strength but less guidance due to absence of real role models. Now the freedom at internet has potential to change this scenario. Young ones will be able to collaborate with those who have desire to change India. Young ones have changed many things in India. Now the whole country can change with just a click.
Dr. Vivek Kumar Srivastava is presently Assistant Professor in CSJM Kanpur University[affiliated college],Vice Chairman CSSP, email: [email protected]
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