Kerala govt to withdraw law against free speech

The Kerala government has decided to repeal a three-day-old penal provision against “publishing or disseminating” offensive content, acknowledging the backlash against a law that alarmed free-speech advocates.

The state cabinet decided on Tuesday to forward a repealing ordinance to the governor to withdraw Section 118A from the Kerala Police Act, less than 24 hours after putting it on hold.

The rapid reversal marked a rare moment in which an elected government and a political party responded to a blizzard of criticism and undertook a course correction. The rethink also stood out in sharp contrast with the stubborn manner in which the Narendra Modi government has approached several issues that have distressed many citizens.