Is the case against a Goa professor for voicing a social opinion fair?

The virus may have restricted life in more ways than one but of late there has
also been another trend which has become visible. Voicing one’s opinion can put
you in a spot of bother, this in a country where its people are known to be
quite argumentative. Recently an FIR was registered against Shilpa Singh,
an assistant professor at a Goa law college, for ‘outraging religious feelings
with deliberate and malicious intention’. Rajiv Jha a Goa unit member of the
Rashtriya Hindu Yuva Vahini’s  complaint was regarding a post that Singh
made on Facebook almost six months ago, in which she apparently made derogatory
linkages with the mangalsutra”. She was also the target of a complaint filed by
the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), which objected to the topics
that she teaches to her students. Freedom of thought and expression is aright
embedded in the Indian constitution. With this instance and several others that
have occurred around the country one will be tempted to ask if there is freedom
of expression or should it be in tune with the realities of the day.  
Cleofas Coutinho senior Margao based advocate was clear when he said he
believed in the freedom of expression. In it he said there was the freedom of
dissent. That he said was the flavor of democracy. He said “The restrictions
that were imposed on the freedom of expression in the last century when the
constitution was inaugurated deserved to go now.  This has to be done
because the government of the day is tinkering with the freedom of speech and
expression by manipulating the restrictions. With regards to the specific case
of the assistant professor, she has the academic freedom to explain her
viewpoint in the way she feels correct. I don’t think she can be hauled up for
this.”   
Carlos Ferreira former Advocate General Government of Goa and practicing high
court lawyer was categorical when he said the Supreme Court has recognized the
freedom of speech and expression. This was highlighted in the Shreya Singhal
case which upholds the right of an individual and struck down section 66 A of
the Information Technology Act.  He said “The supreme court has also said
that contemporary community standard test has to be applied. Even if is a matter
of expression in the educational interest it is fine. Interesting propositions
are made to excite the mind and to induce the students to argue in favour or
against it. Otherwise free thought will never flow”. Personally he felt it was
a storm in a tea cup.  
Legal brains operate in a certain structured manner and it would perhaps make
sense to speak to members of the creative tribe to ascertain their reactions.
Noted Goan painter, sculptor and installation artist Subodh Kerkar was blunt
when he said it was important that there should be perfect freedom to speak and
to have personal freedom. He said “One cannot deny that many women feel that
the mangalsutra is like a chain and it is a custom the professor has
challenged. Today many women are not taking their husband’s surname that does
not mean it is anti –hindu. There should be freedom of expression. Everything
traditional should not be considered as ideal”.
Another person with a mind all his own is architect Dean Dcruz. He said it was
a matter of the freedom of expression and he found it very upsetting when
teachers were being restricted what and how they were teaching. He said “She is
not forcing her opinions and it was an attempt at exploring different
possibilities and letting the students decide”. Teachers, he said had to
present interesting angles so that students would be forced to think.
Rohit Almeida is a young singer and musician who has composed and sang songs
that have caught the fancy of Goans. He felt that it was a bit of a mixed bag
because, religion he felt was a very touchy subject but to file cases was a bit
extreme in his opinion. He said “To curtail freedoms seems extreme and I feel
the government is trying to control everyone’s life. What u say, what u do and
if you are not careful you can file a case against you. I felt the professor
could have been more delicate while presenting her lecture but that’s that.”
Amitava Bhattacharya is the founder Director of Banglanatak dot com felt
freedom was very important but it was also important to not hurt. He said “One
has to be responsible and my freedom should not destroy your choices.
Remember VP elect of USA Kamala Harris highlighted the importance of being
decent. It is very important to take care of other people’s feelings too.”
This will be a discussion that will continue for several years and sentiments
ebb and flow and one can only hope the natural choice of a very argumentative
people is not restrained.