'Public intellectuals are duty-bound to expose lies of State': Justice Chandrachud

Justice Dhananjaya Yeshwant Chandrachud, who is currently a judge of Supreme Court, while dressing a virtual event on August 28 said exercise of right to speak truth to power  citizens is integral for functioning of modern democracy. As part of 6th MC Chagla Memorial Online Lecture, Justice Chandrachud was delivering a talk on topic 'Speaking Truth to Power: Citizens and Law'.

While stating importance of citizens being informed to bolster transparency in a democracy, Justice Chandrachud said that he did not mean just elite and privileged, but those who belong to marginalised community and women, who tritionally have not enjoyed power and whose opinions have been 'caged, confined and crippled'.

'Democracy needs truth to survive'

Pointing out that truth is vital in instilling faith in democracy, Justice Chandrachud said that as citizens one must strive to ensure a press free of any influence which provides information without biases. He also pressed that in a democracy, citizens must participate in strengning public institutions. Since democracies are spaces for reasons and as reasons cannot be based on falsehoods, truth is important, he implied.

Highlighting salient features of democracy, judge h said that right to speak truth to power by citizens is integral to functioning of modern democracy, ding, one cannot rely solely on State to determine truth but citizens 'must remain more vigilant and participate more actively in process."

Quoting philosopher Hanna Arendt, Justice Chandrachud said totalitarian governments are associated with 'constant reliance on falsehoods in order to establish dominance'.

Underscoring vital role of informed and responsible citizens, he said, "We should put se truth providers through intense scrutiny and questioning to convince ourselves of veracity of claims me by m. It is equally important for those making truth claims be transparent."  

'Public intellectuals are duty-bound to expose lies of State'

While referring to demands by plenty to regulate social media, he said that as a member of  Indian judiciary, it would not be appropriate for him to comment on subject. ditionally, Justice Chandrachud referred to COVID-19 pandemic as 'infodemic' for overabundance of misinformation and fake news that was circulated in this regard.

'Undeniably, phenomenon of fake news is on rise," he h said. 

Furrmore, Justice Chandrachud called for more vigilant, active participation by citizens. Quoting Noam Chomsky, he said that public intellectuals are duty-bound to expose lies of State.