SC Judge Ujjal Bhuyan: Questioning Authority Is a Right, Not Defiance

Supreme Court judge Ujjal Bhuyan has emphasized that governments in a democracy must remain open to citizen questioning and dissent. He described the act of questioning as a fundamental expression of liberty and citizenship, not an act of defiance. The judge also called on universities to nurture free thinking and encourage students to engage with difficult questions. He warned that silencing or punishing disagreement undermines the constitutional framework and breeds intolerance. According to Justice Bhuyan, a democracy's true maturity is reflected in how it responds to unpopular or inconvenient opinions.