Shashi Tharoor Finds A Word To Tell Why UP Govt Slaps Sedition Cases - It's Allodoxaphobia

Former Union Minister and Congress MP, Shashi Tharoor has claimed that the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh is slapping sedition and UAPA cases on people because its leadership suffers from allodoxaphobia.

Taking to Twitter, Tharoor said "Word of the day, indeed of the last seven years: *Allodoxaphobia* Meaning: an irrational fear of opinions. Usage: “The BJP government in UP slaps sedition& UAPA cases on people because its leadership suffers from allodoxaphobia.” (Greek: Allo=different, doxo=opinion,phobos=fear)"

The BJP-ruled state has a dubious track record when it comes to booking people under the contentious sedition law and under UAPA.

According to the latest data released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) Manipur, Assam, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh recorded the highest number of sedition cases in 2020 with 15, 12, 8, and 7 cases respectively.

Manipur, Jharkhand, Assam and Uttar Pradesh recorded the highest number of cases under UAPA in 2020 - 169, 86, 76 and 72, respectively.

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In September this year, the Uttar Pradesh Police had booked former state Governor Aziz Qureshi under sedition over his alleged derogatory remarks against the Yogi Adityanath government.

The FIR was lodged following a complaint by BJP leader Akash Kumar Saxena who claimed that Qureshi made derogatory statements against the Yogi Adityanath government and compared it to a "blood-sucking demon".

In October also the use of the law in Uttar Pradesh had come under the spotlight after Chief Minister Yogi said that sedition charges will be invoked against those celebrating Pakistan’s victory against India in T20 World Cup.

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Section 124A (sedition) of the IPC which is a colonial leftover dating back to 1870 states that "Whoever, words, either spoken or written, or by signs, or by visible representation, or otherwise, brings or attempts to bring into hatred or contempt, or excites or attempts to excite disaffection towards the Government established by law in India shall be punished with imprisonment for life, to which fine may be added, or with imprisonment which may extend to three years, to which fine may be added, or with fine".

In July this year, the Supreme Court of India had asked the Central government if the country still needs such a law.

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"It is a colonial law used by the British to silence Mahatma Gandhi, Tilak. Still, it is necessary after 75 years of independence?" Chief Justice NV Ramana said while expressing concern on?sedition law being misused?by police against persons who speak against the government.

However, on Friday, Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju informed the Lok Sabha by a written reply that there is no proposal to scrap sedition law. The statement was in response to a question posed by MP M.Badruddin Ajmal whether the government was planning to strike down or amend S.124 A of the Indian Penal Code.?

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