In a constitutional democracy like India, the government must listen to citizens, give space for dissent, and have institutions that are accountable to society, it should not treat expression of an alternative ideology as a threat. In a democracy, the right to question is not an act of defiance. It is an essential expression of citizenship, liberty and constitutional responsibility.The Constitution guarantees free speech, thinking and believing differently. If we want a democratic society that respects liberty and difference, that culture has to begin somewhere. It can only begin in our universities. A university should be one of the first places where the habit of thinking freely begins, but an autocratic government is hellbent on crushing thinking and dissent, which in their book equates to mutiny. The recent happenings at Jadavpur University, AMU, JNU and other such bastions of liberal thought and vigorous debate are proof that the sarkar wants everyone to toe their line.
REKHA SARIN, Benaulim
