Sedition laws need to be examined: Social reformer Sri M on

The colonial era sedition law needs to be examined, social reformer Sri M said today amid the escalating JNU row, as he pitched for a debate on contentious issues.
"The sedition law was enacted during British rule. It's wrong if anti-national slogans were raised, but the sedition law should be examined. Students must be engaged in dialogue. In a democracy, difference of opinion is very healthy," he told reporters here.
Sri M, who entered Delhi today as part of his 15-month- long march from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, said the model of democracy framed by India's founding fathers should be followed.

"It is a mistake if no debate is happening over contentious issues," he said.
Referring to the attack on journalists, JNU students and lawyers inside the Patiala House Court complex, Sri M said, "I wonder what will happen to us if lawyers starts beating up journalists... Differences cannot be resolved through violence.
JNU students' union president Kanhaiya Kumar was arrested over charges of sedition in connection with an event on the varsity's campus in protest against the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru.

The 67-year-old spiritual leader, a native of Andhra Pradesh, has walked over 5,900km across eight states since January 12, 2015, as part of the 'Walk of Hope' movement.

The march will conclude in Srinagar around the first week of May.
"The country believes in unity in diversity. Unfortunately, that unity is broken here and there either on ideological or religious grounds. Religion and ideology are used as a facade as there is some vested interest behind such incidents," he said, adding that "lawmakers also should not be allowed to take the law into their own hands".
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will join the march tomorrow in the national capital, which Sri M said "goes through one turmoil everyday". Those taking part in the march will stay in Delhi till March 3.

'Walk of Hope' was flagged off on January 12 at Kanyakumari and has so far traversed Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Gujarat. It is currently passing Madhya Pradesh with a distance of 3,656kms having been covered in 254 days.
'Walk of Hope' is being spearheaded by the 'Manav Ekta Mission', a wing of the Satsang Foundation established by Sri M, who was born as Mumtaz Ali.