Blog Post 9 Freedom of Speech in India.

Democracy can only function within a system where political competition can flourish, this means the right the to criticize and disagree within the political sphere, this also means that the legal protection for the right to discuss politics must be present. The country of India has been a democracy since 1950 when it became separate from British influence. The political system has hit a few roadblocks, but the continuation of Section 66A has consistently limited the political and speech freedoms of the people of India. Section 66A of the Information Technology Act was controversial as the law prohibits the following through internet communications. it could send a person to jail for three years for sending an email or other electronic message that "causes annoyance or inconvenience". (BBC)  This provided sweeping powers that have already jailed a large number of teenagers and in one case a 45 year old finance specialist for criticising the government or specific politicians. Thus providing the evidence that the powers of this law are vast. This  has led to mass protests and movements in the hope that the law will be removed. The marches and protests are organized and consist mainly of students who see Section 66A has a gross violation of their right to freedom of speech and expression. Recently the Supreme Court of India found Section 66A to be unconstitutional and have ordered that it be removed immediately. There has been much public approval on the Courts decision and many are hopeful as to what that entails for the political future of India.http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-32029369

Blog 8- Second Rape Case in India and Public Outcry

Rape cases and the slow justice for those who commit such crimes against women have become a hot political issue in India since the ban of a BBC documentary featuring an unapologetic rapist and the silent culture surrounding the crime of rape within the country as a whole. Recently a second attack has sparked a mass of public outcry that can not be banned or silenced by the government. This is the rape and attack of an elderly nun whose attackers vandalized the Christian church where the nun lived in worked and stole money before attacking her. There is no proof as of yet if the nun was targeted simply for being christian or if it is revenge for the expulsion of a pupil from the church's school. The young men were caught on the security cameras within the building and the principal of the school explained to the writer of this article that he had requested police protection days before the attack due to the threatening phone calls being made to the school and that they happened to be missing when the attack took place. The authorities have yet to say if the young men responsible will be charged and to what the extent of that sentencing might be. To insure that the men will br held responsible Christians have taken to the street in marches and other peaceful protests to garner public and international support. Given the banning of the documentary, and the demeanor of the rapists from that incident, and the careless way that the men revealed their faces on the security cameras in this one suggests that they are not fearful of lawful retribution or punishment. The seemingly large amount of rape cases being written about from india shows not only a changing cultural norms from one of silence to public accountability also speaks to the changing gender norms within areas of the country. Rape has historically been used as a tool to force women into submissive roles, it is plausible that such social changes have a correlated effect on the rise in rape cases within the country, as the BBC article seems to suggest. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-31902013

Post 7- The Role of Women in India

The recent conviction of four men for the brutal gang rape and death of a teenage girl in Delhi has cast a light on the way women are valued and looked at by society. The four men currently on death row were interviewed by an American director who plans to make a documentary of the incident. Currently the accused men are challenging their sentences by claiming that it was the woman's fault as she should not have been out on the streets so late. One of the men has prior convictions for the same crime, when questioned about the later incident he was quoted saying that she was a beggar so her life did not matter. A second man (The driver of the bus where the rape took place) explained that in killing them the way women are treated will only get worse as men will be less inclined to leave them alive. There has been no government statements denouncing the actions of these men, but the government has protested the filming of the documentary as the article showcases.The government believes that such a documentary will exaggerate the plight facing women in India today.This article perfectly encapsulates the social view of women held by a large population of the country, that they are not as important or useful as boys. This belief stems from the need to carry on the family line and the ability of men to provide work for their families. The lack of government support for the victims of rape crimes has sparked a small, but meaningful protest of women who want to be valued and heard. There is no knowing if these protests or the documentary will spark major change within the country and how it chooses to value women and handle rape cases. At the moment the documentary is banned from theaters sparking further outcry from the public. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-31724516