Sedition became an instrument to terrorise Indian nationalists: Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Annie Besant, Jogendra Chandra Bose, and Mahatma Gandhi were amongst the first prominent figures to be charged with sedition.

Both Gandhiji and Nehruji wanted the law abolished, but though the Founding Fathers did not mention it in the Constitution, they failed to take it off the books. It remains a crime to this day, liable to be misused by an intolerant Government against legitimate dissent.

My Bill would only allow an individual to be charged for sedition when his words or actions directly result in the use of violence or incitement to violence or constitutes an offence which is punishable with imprisonment for life under the Indian Penal Code – like culpable homicide, murder, or rape.

Mere words or signs criticizing the measures or administrative actions of the Government will not constitute sedition. The amended law will promote the freedom of speech and the right to express dissent against the Government, while ensuring safeguards against the use of words to incite violence. Nehruji had stated of sedition that “the sooner we get rid of it, the better”. The UK has taken his advice but India hasn’t. It’s time we did.

