It is reported in the media that two young women-21-year-old Shaheen Dhada and her friend Renu Srinivas were arrested by the local police at Palghar in Thane district for posting a comment on the Facebook against the Mumbai shutdown over Bal Thackeray's death. There is a widespread condemnation of the police's highhandedness, in the public and the media. Even the State govt has not been spared over the "fascist"act of its police against freedom of expression.
However, while one cannot condone the police's clearly excessive action against the Facebook ladies, one cannot overlook their utter insensitivity, irresponsibility and thoughtlessness on the issue of the shutdown. Looking at massive crowds accompanying the funeral procession on the way to the cremation venue at the Shivaji Park on November 18, covered live on TV news channels, even a Balasaheb Thackeray critic would acknowledge the spontaenity of the sea of humanity peacefully walking in mourning. Mumbaikars had shut their shops and other businesses on their own to join the congregation to express grief over their beloved leader's death. Hence, to question their personal choice to do so without any appeal or direction from the Shiv Sena leadership, amounts to adding insult to injury. It is a height of juvenile delinquency and apaty to other people's sorrow.
Freedom of expression is not unrestricted and absolute. One's freedom of expression stops where other person's freedom begins. The Facebook women should have been mature, understanding and considerate. They are too young to know that when Gandhiji died, not only Delhi but many parts of India were shutdown in mourning. Could any one, claiming the right to free expression, have been so callous and stupid to criticise the shutdown? Bal Thackeray may not be comparable to Gandhiji but for millions of Maharashtrians he was their father figure. How could Shaheen and his friend be unaware of this?
However, while one cannot condone the police's clearly excessive action against the Facebook ladies, one cannot overlook their utter insensitivity, irresponsibility and thoughtlessness on the issue of the shutdown. Looking at massive crowds accompanying the funeral procession on the way to the cremation venue at the Shivaji Park on November 18, covered live on TV news channels, even a Balasaheb Thackeray critic would acknowledge the spontaenity of the sea of humanity peacefully walking in mourning. Mumbaikars had shut their shops and other businesses on their own to join the congregation to express grief over their beloved leader's death. Hence, to question their personal choice to do so without any appeal or direction from the Shiv Sena leadership, amounts to adding insult to injury. It is a height of juvenile delinquency and apaty to other people's sorrow.
Freedom of expression is not unrestricted and absolute. One's freedom of expression stops where other person's freedom begins. The Facebook women should have been mature, understanding and considerate. They are too young to know that when Gandhiji died, not only Delhi but many parts of India were shutdown in mourning. Could any one, claiming the right to free expression, have been so callous and stupid to criticise the shutdown? Bal Thackeray may not be comparable to Gandhiji but for millions of Maharashtrians he was their father figure. How could Shaheen and his friend be unaware of this?
