The Freethought Party of India (FPI) held a meet to mark August 2 as Government Servants’ Free Speech Day with cofounder of AMOFOI, Swapna Bijayini, in the chair.
Chief guest AMOFOI president and chairman of Odisha Dalit Adhikar Manch Manas Jena said that freedom of speech and expression is the main pillar of Indian democracy. But this fundamental right as given to the Indian citizens under Article 19(i)(a) of the Constitution of India must be used for the larger good of the down-trodden sections, Jena remarked.
FPI general secretary B Ramchandra CST Voltaire observed that the Orissa High Court judgment that was delivered way back on August 2, 1971 in the Case No. 332 of 1971 (B Ramchandra Vs State of Orissa) clearly pointed out that Rule 6(ii) and Rule 7(i) of the Orissa Government Servants’ Conduct Rules of 1959 are Ultra Vires of Article 19(i)(a) that guarantees the fundamental right to freedom of speech and expression and as such they are to be removed from the Statute Book. He lamented that even though 49 years have gone bym the Government of Odisha has not yet not implemented the ruling.