<<Gabriel de Figueiredo wrote: Wouldn't you be jailed and or severely beaten up in India if you carried out anti-India propaganda today? India is still "sensitive" even though it may proclaim to be "democratic". Meanwhile, I suppose one can denounce the English head of state from a corner in Hyde Park without much fear (except from the hecklers maybe). Please correct me if I have commited grave error in my assumptions.>>
Yes Gabriel, you've committed an error and let me correct you. You're confusing democratic rights with freedom to commit treason! No country worth its salt will permit anti-national activities within its borders, including Australia where you live. As for Hyde Park speeches, Indians do have equal freedom to criticise anyone, including the head of state and government. The PM, President and Ministers are constantly lampooned and even subjected to name-calling on the print and visual media here (which the Portuguese never allowed in Goa). That does not mean that you've the right to carry out anti-national propaganda. Since we're at it, let me recount a Cold War joke, which will gladden Mario. An American and a Russian were discussing democracy in their countries. "We've total freedom, you know," said the American. "I can walk straight up to the White House and call Reagan a bum and nothing will happen to me." "We too have equal freedom," said the Russian. "I can walk straight up to the Kremlin and call Reagan a bum and nothing will happen to me!" Cheers, RKN _______________________________________________ Goanet mailing list Goanet@lists.goanet.org http://lists.goanet.org/listinfo.cgi/goanet-goanet.org
