“Blind belief on authority is the greatest enemy of truth.”

-Albert Einstein.

Every society has goals and there are certain means to achieve the same. If there is imbalance , individuals tend to deviate . One of the manifestations of deviation is DISSENT.

Individuals device their own goals and needs when they are not fulfilled , they express dissent .In Democracy even if one person is dissenting and she is denied space to express her dissent then it is detrimental for democracy .

Dissent is one of the form of patriotism but whether it is highest form of patriotism needs further deliberation .Dissent gives an opportunity to liberate on politics , this is an highest form of patriotism . However , dissent cannot be called as patriotic if it is not in larger interest of people because dissent is contextual , dissenting for larger interest is patriotism . For instance ; Many NGOs and human rights organisations have expressed their dissent on Talak divorce system of  Muslims which is concerning the rights of muslim women and proposed for the introduction of Uniform civil code for all the citizens of Indian. As this descent against talak system is in interest of larger people , this can be called as patriotism.

TYPES OF DISSENT :

a) Political dissent .

b) Social dissent.

c) Environmental dissent.

First act of dissent in India was 1857 revolt , this is both a political and social dissent expressed by military soldiers against British East-Indian company  authorities.

In Independent India , dissent shouldn’t be expressed through Violence . In other words , if  the methodology of dissent is violence it is unpatriotic. For instance : In JNU case , people resorted to violence and raised anti-nation slogans and this relegated human rights and capital punishment to back seat . Thus this form of violent dissent cannot be termed as patriotic even though its cause is in larger interest because patriotism is devotion towards one’s country and what it does and in this case people raised anti-national slogans which is unpatriotic.

Dissent must be balanced to ensure that descent is constructive. Informed citizenry , larger interest of the society , means being  non-violent , responsible media should be ensured to make dissent more democratic and patriotic. Thus , to ensure this laws like section 124 sedition , should be repealed  and contempt of court should be revisited.