I Won’t Say Sorry: A Defiant Ramya On Sedition Charges

Kannada actor-politician Ramya said she has done nothing wrong and that apologising will defeat the whole purpose.

Kannada actor-turned-politician Ramya. (Photo: The Quint)

Over the past week, Kannada actor-turned-politician Ramya became the subject of heavy criticism and trolling on Twitter. She had called Pakistan “a good country” – and it had not gone down well with her detractors.

A lawyer also filed a case against her in Karnataka’s Madikeri, around 270 kms from Bengaluru.

The lawyer, Katnamane Vittal Gowda, reportedly said that he is “appalled” that Ramya praised Pakistanis.

He asked the court to register a case under Section 124A of the IPC, which deals with sedition, besides other charges, under section 344 and 511, according to The Times of India. The case will be heard on Saturday.

Ramya On Her Sedition Charges

In an interview with NDTV, Ramya responded to the sedition charges imposed on her and refused to apologise.

I stand by what I said. I can say sorry, it’s not about that, but if I say sorry in this case, the whole purpose of it will be lost. 

Ramya 

Commenting about sedition, she said that she is not surprised at the charges that are imposed on her.

People are misusing sedition. Looking at the present situation, I think anybody and everybody can be slapped with sedition. 

Ramya 

She feels the need to repeal the sedition law but doubts that the BJP will do it because they are using it to their advantage.

She further said that sedition is curbing the freedom of speech. Referring to her remarks about Pakistan, she said that she is free to express her opinion.

One shouldn’t be stopped from speaking the truth, or expressing one’s thoughts and feelings. 

Ramya 

She also said that she will not succumb to the pressure and will not take back anything she said, because there was nothing wrong in what she said.

If we succumb to them now, they will overpower us, and I think they are already trying to do that. 

Ramya 

She feels that people who have been critical of her remarks are not thinking with a sane mind because whatever she said is harmless.

It seems that polarising people and spreading hate among them is legal and those who try to bring people together are unlawful. 

Ramya 

Backlash on Twitter

According to Kannada news channel Public TV, Ramya had described her Islamabad visit to attend a SAARC Young Parliamentarians Conference from 16-18 August thus:

“… Minister Manohar Parrikar said that ‘Going to Pakistan is like going to hell’. It is nothing like that. People there are just like us and there is no difference. They treated us very well… ”

She later clarified her statement after Modi supporters attacked her on Twitter.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) even held a protest in Mandya on Sunday against her remark. Ramya was particularly criticised by another Kannada actor-turned-politician, Jaggesh.

Speaking at an event organised by BJP’s student wing ABVP to protest against anti-nationalism, BJP member Jaggesh said, “People who have not studied and don’t have any experience are praising Pakistan. They should be given a peace prize, maybe a Nobel. They should also be allowed to stand next to Bill Clinton and take photos.”

He further added that those who support anti-national sentiments are nothing but “mosquitoes and bedbugs” who should be destroyed with poison.

Ramya took all the flak in her stride. But she did get back with a rather sarcastic reaction, drawing in RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

She even evoked a quote from the Bhagwad Gita.

A Trend in Karnataka?

Of late, “sedition” has become some sort of a trend in Karnataka.

Last week, the police had filed a case against Amnesty International for promoting anti-national sentiments at a Kashmir-related event. The case was filed by ABVP, the student wing of the BJP.

No arrests have been made so far.

(With inputs from HuffPost India, The Times of India, NDTV and The News Minute)