Judge quotes Rabindranath Tagore during Bhim Army chief’s bail hearing

PTI, Jan 16, 2020, 10:17 AM IST

New Delhi: A Delhi court judge while granting bail to Bhim Army Chief Chandrashekhar Azad on Wednesday, recited Rabindranath Tagore’s poem ”Where the Mind is Without Fear” and said citizens have a fundamental right to peaceful protest which cannot be curtailed by the state.

Additional Sessions Judge Kamini Lau said that Rabindranath Tagore had visualised a nation where there is no fear in the minds of people, education is attained by all and there are no walls of discrimination. She added that while exercising the right of peaceful protest, it is the duty of citizens to ensure that the rights of other people are not violated and no inconvenience is caused to anyone.

“I am reminded of our reverend patriotic poet Rabindranath Tagore who is most relevant today. He visualised a nation where there is no fear in the minds people and education is attained by all,” the judge said.

Rabindranath Tagore wanted his countrymen to be honest and thoughtful, she said and recited his poem, ”Where the mind is without fear”.

Judge Kamini Lau said that in “our democratic set-up, we have a fundamental right to peaceful protest guaranteed by the Constitution, which cannot be curtailed by the state.”

“However, at the same time, our constitution strikes a fine balance between the rights and duties. While exercising our right of peaceful protest, it is our duty to ensure that no corresponding right of another is violated and no inconvenience was caused to anyone,” the judge said.