19 May, Nagpur

Singing the revolutionary poetry of Pakistani poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz, once celebrated as a voice of resistance, now risks sedition charges in India. At a memorial event in Nagpur last week honouring actor-activist Vira Sathidar, young cultural activists performed Faiz’s iconic poem ‘Hum Dekhenge’. Following this, Nagpur police filed charges against the event’s organisers and speaker under Section 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which deals with sedition-like offences, along with other sections related to promoting enmity and public mischief.

The FIR was filed by a local resident, citing a news report that condemned the recitation of Faiz’s poetry, especially the line “Takht hilaane ki zaroorat hai” (“a need to shake the throne”), which was seen as a threat to the government. However, the actual line in the poem is “sab takht giraye jayenge” (“all thrones will be overthrown”).

Although the Supreme Court has stayed sedition trials under IPC Section 124-A since 2022, the BNS law replaced the IPC but retains a similar provision under Section 152. This case highlights ongoing debates over freedom of expression and dissent in India.