Believe in free speech within legal limits: Parrikar on Gurmehar Kaur issue

Gurmehar Kaur launched campaign against ABVP which forced cancellation of seminar at Ramjas College

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Thursday said that he believed in the freedom of expression within the legal ambit.

When asked about his opinion on Gurmehar Kaur, Parrikar on the sideline of a programme here, said: "I believe in the freedom of expression with whatever legal restrictions are there. All freedom of expression have legal limit. You cannot barge on another person's right."

Lady Shri Ram College student Gurmehar Kaur had last week launched a social media campaign against the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) which had forced the cancellation of a seminar at Ramjas College over the participation of a controversial JNU student Umar Khalid on February 21.

 

The next day, ABVP activists were blamed for attacking students, teachers and journalists in the campus, triggering widespread condemnation.

Khalid was jailed last year on sedition charges for allegedly shouting anti-national slogans.