A vent in the Delirium

What transpired in our democratic nation, a week ago, was a disgrace to our Right to Freedom of Expression. An ordinary,benign cartoonist, Assem Trivedi was charged with sedition and raging war against the government. The fact that such ridiculous charges can be imposed on a cartoonist in a free country is obnoxious. Moreover, his is not just a one-off case but next in the line of a series of such ridiculous cases  filed against others like Binayak Sen, Arundhati Roy and others. It seems dissent is being made equivalent to sedition. Before we make up our minds as to what classifies as sedition and how does sedition and freedom of speech co-exist, we must understand what the law states. The law of sedition was inacted in the pre-Independence era by the colonial rulers, to suppress the public rebellion against the authority of the King of England. It made culpable any expression of contempt against the King. When our country got Independence, the first Prime Minister, Jawah...

It's teacher's day today. A day dedicated to the teachers in India for their contribution in nation building. This, however, should be used as an opportunity to look at our archaic, maligned and uninspiring education system. Our current education system is the product of the British Raj. Their intent was to produce slaves, capable of doing their work and understanding their language of communication. Hence, our current system is dominated by English, theoretical knowledge and discipline. Being innovative or creative is indiscipline in our system. Our education system is such that it doesn't let you apply your brains but forces you to apply your memory. A free mind with an opportunity to explore myriad different avenues is strangled into the classroom by books and exams. How do we expect to bring diversity in this nation of 1 billion when each individual is treated with same syllabus and subjects? Giving basic education about every subject is necessary, but the stud...