Pottiye Kettiye

Pottiye Kettiye

The government's recklessness and indecision have been exposed once again with the government withdrawing from the case against the song Pottiye Kettiye. The threat of a police case is often used if the government is criticized. But when public criticism hits back strongly, the same case is frozen and withdrawn. 

Through such a move, the wrong message is given to the society that the law is not a weapon of justice, but a tool of threat by the government. The calculation behind this is that once a person gets entangled in the web of police cases, he will hesitate to speak against the government later. This approach of intimidating and subjugating freedom of expression is destroying the very soul of democracy.

If such a stance continues, the government will become a weak power center that fears criticism. The lack of advisors with the knowledge to advise the government legally is paving the way for such embarrassments again and again.  Decisions taken emotionally or based on political calculations without understanding the law and the Constitution will later have to be revised, which will damage the credibility of the government.

Instead of facing criticism through cases, what is expected from a democratic government is the maturity to respond through self-examination and debate. It cannot be denied that the state of affairs without it is the curse of the country.

- K. A. Solaman