New Delhi: Citing misuse of the colonial-era sedition law by the Modi government, the Congress plans to do away with the “draconian” statute if voted to power, said sources.
According to a senior Congress leader, the party’s draft manifesto has proposed the move. It also includes the promise to bring in a personal data protection law.
“It is a law that has been misused by the Modi government and is simply a tool to harass citizens. In the draft manifesto we have proposed to do away with this draconian law,” said the Congress leader.
However, a final decision on this will be taken by the party’s highest decision-making body, the Congress Working Committee (CWC), which will approve the manifesto.
The Congress’ final manifesto is expected in the next 10 days, said the party leader.
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Congress’s issues with sedition law
The Modi government’s use of the sedition law has been a bone of contention between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and opposition parties.
In the most infamous sedition case under the Modi government, the opposition, including the Congress, raised objections to the filing of a charge-sheet against former Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union president Kanhaiya Kumar and other students in 2016.
Kumar was slapped with sedition charges by the Delhi Police for allegedly “supporting” the chant of “anti-India” slogans at a controversial protest march on campus that was held to mark the death anniversary of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru.
Rahul Gandhi, then Congress vice-president, had met Kumar at his residence when he was out on bail in the sedition case. Gandhi had even hit out at the Modi government during his visit to JNU in February 2016.
“They are terrified of weak Indian people raising their voice. They do not understand that by crushing you they are making you stronger,” Gandhi had said at the time.
Gandhi had even termed the BJP government anti-national.
“People who suppress voice of this institute are anti-national. They are trying to crush the voice of the youth,” Gandhi, who is now Congress president had said.
Earlier in January, senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal had also demanded the sedition law be scrapped.
“Scrap sedition law (section 124A,IPC), a colonial hangover.. Real sedition is when those in power manipulate institutions, misuse the law, breach peace and security by inciting violence. Punish them in 2019. ‘Sarkar badlo Desh bachao’ (change government, save country),” Sibal has said on Twitter in January this year.
Scrap sedition law (section 124A,IPC) , a colonial hangover
Real sedition is when those in power manipulate institutions , misuse the law , breach peace and security by inciting violence
Punish them in 2019
Sarkar badlo Desh bachao
— Kapil Sibal (@KapilSibal) January 16, 2019
Senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram, who heads the party’s manifesto committee, had also pitched for doing away with the sedition law.
Data protection
In its manifesto, the Congress is also expected to propose data protection.
“We are in 2019 now and yet there isn’t a clear legal regime around how our data is used and privacy rights. This is not only government data but also third party intermediaries like Facebook,” said a second Congress functionary.
“Congress recognises privacy as an integral issue and will definitely address this huge lacuna when we come to power.”
The BJP government had come up with the Personal Data Protection Bill, 2018, but it was not tabled in Parliament.
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Congress manifesto
The Congress has sought public participation in the process of drafting its 2019 Lok Sabha election manifesto, asking people to post suggestions on a dedicated interactive website, besides sending them through email and WhatsApp.
The manifesto committee of the party has held a total of 174 consultations, of which 121 were public.
A total of 31,875 website inputs have also been received apart from 4,038 inputs received via WhatsApp, among others.
Praiseworthy. The Congress is a 134 year old party. It has always stood for certain foundational values. Whether on religion or on “ nationalism “, it should not let others set the agenda, fear being accused of minority appeasement – whatever that hateful phrase actually means – or being “ soft “.