Political inertia, cultural indifference make us a ‘fear society’

Ravi Shanker Kapoor’s latest book, There is No Such Thing as Hate Speech, published recently by Bloomsbury, is a timely and important contribution for modern India. The book distils many years of the author’s intellectual struggle for free speech and expression. The story begins with how nationalism has pushed back the ideals of European Enlightenment brought to India by the British. Macaulay and Raja Rammohan Roy are defended for their support for Western education. Subhas Bose is derided for his contempt for individual liberty and unabashed admiration of fascism. Rabindranath Tagore’s wise reminders of how nationalism can blind us to social evils are quoted extensively.

Read the full review: http://www.sundayguardianlive.com/books/11409-political-inertia-cultural-indifference-make-us-fear-society