The following is a draft copy of a petition supporting the principles of "Freedom of Speech and Expression". The petition will be submitted to the Government and circulated to the Press. Those who wish to endorse the same may write to me at [email protected]
Suggestions for making suitable changes/modifications are welcome. The Final copy will be circulated to all the signatories before submission. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Petition in support of "Freedom of Speech and Expression" We, the following concerned citizens, express our dismay that Artists, Writers, Filmmakers, Historians and many others who pursue their creative and academic talents are time and again being harassed, intimidated and subjected to motivated campaigns of censorship by a moral brigade of extra-constitutional activists. In the recent times, it was Artist Dr Subodh Kerkar’s turn to find himself on the rough end of the stick of such activists. We wish to voice our strong protest and condemnation of such persistent assaults on the principles of freedom of speech and free expression, values that are deeply ingrained in the Indian Constitution. We urge the State to acknowledge the declaration in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UNDHR), adopted by the UN General Assembly, on 10 December 1948, which states: "Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers." We believe that a true democratic society must give a pride of place to liberal values and must protect the citizens’ rights to free speech and expression. We therefore urge the State to strongly uphold and enforce the above underlying principles of free speech and expression and to take necessary suitable action in accordance to the laws of the land against those who are slaughtering the Constitutional rights of our fellow citizens. We appeal to the others who believe in these universally reinforcing liberal principles to support and endorse this petition.
