‘Right to Question Is Not Defiance’: Justice Ujjal Bhuyan Defends Student Dissent
What Happened
Supreme Court judge Justice Ujjal Bhuyan said students should not face threats or disciplinary action for asking questions or expressing differing views. Speaking at the National Law University Delhi convocation, he described punitive action against students for dissent as “unconstitutional” and a misuse of power, stressing that universities must remain spaces where ideas can be questioned and debated.
Key Takeaways
Justice Bhuyan emphasized that the right to question is a core democratic value, not an act of defiance. He warned that intolerance and attempts to silence dissent run contrary to the spirit of the Constitution, arguing that democratic societies thrive when disagreement is accommodated through dialogue rather than punishment.