Freedom of Speech

Over the last few days, I have seen an interesting phenomenon. There is a daily soap going on, and interestingly, the same soap is being played simultaneously on different channels. One rarely sees all channels colluding in unison. As an advertiser, I think I have missed out on the biggest ‘eyeball grabbing’ opportunity. Debates on nationalism (or anti nationalism depending on which side of the political spectrum you are) gather higher TRPs than an inconsequential India Sri Lanka cricket match or the latest Khan movie.

I shall refrain on commenting on the appropriateness or otherwise of the slogans raised or the arrest made or whether there are curbs on freedom of speech or limits to freedom of speech, as the matter is sub-judice.Saying that the matter is sub-judice is a great excuse to conceal the fact, that I am confused. 

I then wonder whether speech is really free. If I were to talk about the situation at home, speech is free for one spouse, while there are extreme curbs on the other spouse. After listening to all these debates on TV, I think of filing a writ petition in the Honorable Supreme Court for protection of my rights under Article 19 of the Constitution.

Unfortunately this thought is the by-product of watching debates on TV which happen at prime time, when the throat is being lubricated by nectar of the evaporating kind. A heady combination, leads me to think about Article 19 and exercising my fundamental rights. Unfortunately at that time, the only two bones in my body that move are the hands and the tongue for all the wrong reasons. By the time I get up in the morning and get a nice smile with a cup of coffee, all these thoughts evaporate. Yes even after fifteen years of marriage, I get a warm smile, which is nothing but softening of the target before going for the kill.

Driving on the way to office, the thoughts come back. I think about exercising my right to free speech. I want to talk about everything that is wrong at work. How I think my manager is an idiot, my co-worker is wasting his / her time at work, with a Machiavellian streak and would be fit for politics, organisation policies suck, life is unfair at work, performance management systems are doctored to work against you, targets are impossible. And then I see my family photograph on the desk. I come back to mother earth and look at the monthly pay cheque which hits the bank account regularly, and all thoughts about Article 19 evaporate. I dream about the promotion, being a yes man, sucking up to my manager and other senior people and come back to reality

Come to think of it, the number 19 has always been a stumbling block since childhood. I dreaded mugging up the table of 19 and now Article 19 is a nemesis.

No sir, Freedom of Speech is nothing but a figure of speech. The sooner we understand it the better.