‘In a democracy, the right to question is not an act of defiance.’: Justice Bhuyan NEW DELHI: In a constitutional democracy like India, govt must listen to citizens, give space for dissent, and have institutions that are accountable to society and do not treat every dissent as a threat, Supreme Court judge Ujjal Bhuyan said on Sunday.”In a democracy, the right to question is not an act of defiance. It is an essential expression of citizenship, liberty and constitutional responsibility,” Justice Bhuyan said at a convocation ceremony at National Law University, Delhi.”If we want a democratic society that respects liberty and difference, that culture has to begin somewhere. It can only begin in our universities. A university… should be one of the first places where the habit of thinking freely begins,” he said.A university should be a space where an idea is not accepted merely because it is familiar and where students do not hesitate to ask difficult questions simply because the answer may be uncomfortable,” Justice Bhuyan said.He said India’s Constitution guarantees free speech, thinking and believing differently. “Intolerance begins to undermine that framework when disagreement or dissent is no longer treated as a legitimate difference of opinion but as something that must be silenced, rejected or punished. The ability to live with disagreement is not merely a social virtue. It is the very essence of a liberal constitutional democracy.”Justice Bhuyan said maturity of a democracy is reflected not merely in how it treated opinions that are popular, having the majoritarian mandate, but also in how it responds to opinions that are difficult, unpopular or inconvenient. “The freedom to express an opinion, to disagree with the prevailing view and to participate in public life would be meaningful only when there is space for dissent,” he added.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesHe quoted Justice O Chinnappa Reddy’s 1986 judgment in Bijoe Emmanuel case, in which the judge had said, “Our tradition teaches tolerance; our philosophy preaches tolerance; our constitution practises tolerance; let us not dilute it.”He pointed out that tolerance under our Constitution does not ask us to surrender our individuality. “It recognises that a free society would contain different opinions, beliefs and ways of looking at the world,” he said.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos‘Oldest Trick In RSS Playbook’: Owaisi Slams Mohan Bhagwat’s Hindu-Muslim Unity Call In New YorkWho Is Divya Mittal? IAS Officer’s Resignation After 13 Years Sparks Online DebateIndia, Uzbekistan Ink Long-Term Uranium Deal: How The Pact Boosts Delhi’s Nuclear Ambitions7 Weeks Pregnant When She Died: Punjabi Influencer Manjeet Kaur’s Death Case Turns Murkier’Do You Feel You Are A Lord?’: Bombay High Court Raps Tukaram Mundhe-Led FDA Over MCA Order‘If Any Hindu Thinks…’: Opposition, Muslim Boards Respond To RSS Chief Bhagwat’s New York RemarksBJP Reprimands Three Delhi MPs Over Visit To Sajjan Kumar’s Home After His DeathKolkata Police Files Case Against Mamata Banerjee Over Rally, TMC Hits Back At BJP Govt | WatchRahul Gandhi Slams BJP-RSS Over Kharge ‘Shuddhikaran’, Demands Action Under SC/ST ActPakistani Drones Spotted Along LoC: Indian Army Intensifies Surveillance In J&K | Watch123PhotostoriesStunning Moroccan royal tiaras that make European crowns look almost ordinaryBigg Boss Malayalam Agnipareeksha: Meet the 12 commoners battling for a spot in the house10 baby boy names starting with the letter AYour gut bacteria need food too: 10 everyday foods that can help nourish the gut microbiome and improve gut healthExclusive – Khatron Ke Khiladi 15: Karan Wahi on doing the stunt-based show for the third time, bond with Avinash-Rithvik and performing stunts handpicked based on their fearsOptical illusion personality test: What you see first reveals how you approach difficult situations in lifeKajal to kumkum: Traditional Indian beauty products that became cultural symbolsParkinson’s isn’t always obvious: The changes in your walk, handwriting, face and voice that may be warning signsAnumol’s Dreamy Wedding Looks You Can’t MissKidney stones can build up silently: These common foods may increase your risk, especially if eaten too often123Hot PicksNepal floodUGC NET June 2026 resultCNG Price HikeMumbai milk priceRRB NTPC UG CBT 2 examAnkit Baliyan murderSridhar VembuDelhi murderInflation dataTop TrendingManjeet KaurKim KardashianMaya Higa FianceTravis KelceBrittany MahomesTravis Kelce BusinessKai CenatCoco GauffsNaomi OsakaLebron James
NEW DELHI: In a constitutional democracy like India, govt must listen to citizens, give space for dissent, and have institutions that are accountable to society and do not treat every dissent as a threat, Supreme Court judge Ujjal Bhuyan said on Sunday.“In a democracy, the right to question is not an act of defiance. It is an essential expression of citizenship, liberty and constitutional responsibility,” Justice Bhuyan said at a convocation ceremony at National Law University, Delhi.“If we want a democratic society that respects liberty and difference, that culture has to begin somewhere. It can only begin in our universities. A university… should be one of the first places where the habit of thinking freely begins,” he said.A university should be a space where an idea is not accepted merely because it is familiar and where students do not hesitate to ask difficult questions simply because the answer may be uncomfortable,” Justice Bhuyan said.He said India’s Constitution guarantees free speech, thinking and believing differently. “Intolerance begins to undermine that framework when disagreement or dissent is no longer treated as a legitimate difference of opinion but as something that must be silenced, rejected or punished. The ability to live with disagreement is not merely a social virtue. It is the very essence of a liberal constitutional democracy.”Justice Bhuyan said maturity of a democracy is reflected not merely in how it treated opinions that are popular, having the majoritarian mandate, but also in how it responds to opinions that are difficult, unpopular or inconvenient. “The freedom to express an opinion, to disagree with the prevailing view and to participate in public life would be meaningful only when there is space for dissent,” he added.
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He quoted Justice O Chinnappa Reddy’s 1986 judgment in Bijoe Emmanuel case, in which the judge had said, “Our tradition teaches tolerance; our philosophy preaches tolerance; our constitution practises tolerance; let us not dilute it.”He pointed out that tolerance under our Constitution does not ask us to surrender our individuality. “It recognises that a free society would contain different opinions, beliefs and ways of looking at the world,” he said.
