Today, On 11th September, Supreme Court says “Match Must Go On,” refusing urgent hearing on PIL seeking cancellation of India vs Pakistan Asia Cup game. Petitioners argued that holding the match after Pahalgam terror attack hurts national dignity and public sentiment.
The Madhya Pradesh High Court granted bail to a man accused of shouting a pro-Pakistan slogan and directed him to salute the national flag at a Bhopal police station 21 times and raise ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’ slogan twice a month till the end of the trial. Justice DK Paliwal, in the order on Tuesday, said the applicant may be released on bail by imposing some conditions which may enthuse in him a sense of responsibility and pride for the country in which he was born and living. “He is openly shouting slogans against the country in which he was born and brought up,” the HC stated.
The Supreme Court of India emphasized the right to dissent and freedom of speech, stating that criticizing government actions is not a crime. The court urged law enforcement agencies to understand and respect citizens’ rights to express dissent, stressing the need to evaluate statements based on their impact on reasonable individuals, rather than hypersensitive interpretations.