Arundhati's speech on J&K unfortunate: Moily

New Delhi: Union Law Minister M Veerappa Moily on Thursday said that the sedition case against writer-activist Arundhati Roy will be thoroughly looked at even as civil rights group have been protesting against the Government's reported move to book her and Hurriyat Conference leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani for sedition.
"Freedom of speech cannot violate the patriotic sentiments of the people and country. It is most unfortunate and most uncalled for," Moily told CNN-IBN.
Moily said that he cannot comment on the case unless he thoroughly examines it.


"That I cannot say unless we thoroughly examine all aspect of it. But anyway that is most unfortunate, most uncalled for," he said.
When asked about National Advisory Council (NAC) member and social activist Aruna Roy defending Arundhati's right to express her opinion, Moily replied: "No, no. In our country there's always someone supporting one view of another."
Aruna Roy had defended Arundhati's right to express her opinion.
"Well I speak for myself and not as an NAC Member. I simply do not believe. Neither for Arundhati nor for any other person, that just by expressing an opinion you become seditious. I think that in this country we have had a long history and tradition, long before Independence and thereafter where all kinds of opinions have been expressed. Just the expression of an opinion without inciting people is not seditious. She has just talked and she has a right to her opinion just as much as anybody else," said Aruna.
Moily also rubbished the claim that the Government was under pressure from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to act against them for reportedly making seditious speech.
"On the matters of patriotism and in these statements which borders sedition, I don't think politics should be mixed,” said the Law Minister.
“Not yet. May be they (Union Home Ministry) would have sent it, but I have not seen it," Moily said about Union Home Ministry approaching him on the matter.
The Delhi Police may book Arundhati and Geelani on charges of sedition. Legal opinion given to Government of India suggested that both Geelani and Arundhati Roy can be prosecuted under section 124-A of IPC on charges of sedition.
What is the Sedition Law (Section 124A of Indian Penal Code)?
Anyone who by words or expressions of any kinds brings or attempts to bring or provoke a feeling of hatred, contempt or disaffection towards government established by law is culpable under Section 124A.