On Thu February 9 2006 18:29, Badri Natarajan wrote: > Free speech carries "terms and conditions" everywhere. There is no such > thing as an absolute right to free speech
Really? Check this out - an Indian minister is offereing a reward to behad the cartoonist http://www.outlookindia.com/pti_news.asp?id=356129 Rs 51 crore announced for beheading Danish cartoonist MEERUT/LUCKNOW, FEB 17 (PTI) Uttar Pradesh Minister for Haj and Minority Welfare Haji Mohammed Yaqoob today announced a reward of Rs 51 crore for beheading the Danish cartoonist who lampooned Prophet Mohammad, evoking sharp criticism from political parties. "Any person who chops off the head of the cartoonist from Denmark who dared to make a caricature of Mohammad Sahib and bring it to me shall be rewarded Rs 51 crore in cash and given gold equivalent to his weight," he told a gathering at the Inter-College grounds here after Friday prayers. ... The state government said it was not contemplating any action against the minister for the inflammatory speech, arguing that it was "no offence" to make such an announcement against someone living in a distant country. "The announcement had been made taking into account the feelings of the people... There is no offence to make such an annoucement about a person living in a distant foreign country," Home Secretary Alok Sinha told a news conference in Lucknow. When queried further, he said "in a democracy such announcements are made in a normal way..It cannot be said to be a law and order issue".
