Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Raghav Chadha took to Twitter to laud the Supreme Court’s recent intervention to temporarily stay the conviction in the ‘Modi’ surname remark defamation case involving Rahul Gandhi.
This decision to stay Rahul Gandhi’s conviction is seen as a reinforcement of people’s trust in India’s democratic and judicial processes, Chadha said.
Taking to Twitter, Chadha wrote, “The Hon’ble Supreme Court’s intervention in an unjust defamation case against Rahul Gandhi reinforces people’s trust in our democracy and judicial system.
“Criminal Defamation has become a tool to suppress the voice of the opposition, which holds the Govt accountable.”
Chadha has said that the criminal defamation law has allegedly transformed into a tool used to stifle the voices of opposition parties that play a crucial role in holding the government accountable for its actions and policies, which has led to concerns about the suppression of free speech and open dialogue, which are essential components of a thriving democracy.
Chadha further outlined his goals to remove criminal defamation laws in India through a private bill in the Parliament.
“Soon, I’ll be introducing a Private Bill titled The Decriminalization of Defamation Bill, 2023 to repeal Sections 499 & 500 of the India Penal Code to bring it in line with international jurisprudence on defamation & repeal these relics of colonial past to ensure fearless discourse,” Chadha wrote in the Twitter message.
Interestingly, the criminal defamation law is a colonial-era law that was established in 1837 by Lord Macaulay, primarily to protect the interests of the colonial British Raj government against the freedom fighters. However, in recent times, most countries, including the UK and the US, have removed the criminal aspect of defamation cases.
The Supreme Court of India had earlier upheld the criminal defamation laws in the Subramanian Swamy v Union of India case in 2016.
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