Is Freedom Of Expression Truly Practiced In India?

Indian poet cum politician Imran Pratapgarhi has carved his way into the latest political news in India. The Supreme Court pulls the Gujarat Police for its FIR against poet cum politician Imran Pratapgarhi over a social media post. It remarked that even after 75 years of Independence, the Gujarat Police has yet to understand the true meaning of freedom of speech. According to the latest Indian news headlines Imran Pratapgarhi had supposedly uploaded an Instagram video with a background message which was objected to by some of its viewers according to sources.

AICC minority department chairman and MP Pratapgarhi attributes social media, mushairas and Kavi Sammelans(poetryprogrammes) for his success. His emergence and quick success into Indian politics has raised many eyebrows within and outside the grand old party. The 37-year-old poet born in Shamsherganj comes from a non-political background. His father Mohammad Iliyas Khan was a doctor while his mother Sajida Khan was a homemaker.

Having completed his graduation from Allahabad University, Pratapgiri quickly climbed up the ladders of his career by going for a post-graduation in Hindu Literature in 2008 and he also got a Diploma in Journalism.

Apparently, Pratapgarhi had a keen interest in poetry right from his childhood days. He actively participated in poetry functions and competitions, and has always attracted crowds from all over India and abroad with dedicated fan followers.

Imran Pratapgarhi's poems were based on social and political themes, with a key focus on lynchings even when he was not involved in politics. He gave messages of peace, tolerance and resistance through his poems and reforms. He also helped families who had lost their near and dear ones in various lynching incidents. Blood donation camps were held at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, where 2816 units of blood were collected, which symbolised the protest against lynchings.

Pratapgarhi’s efforts saw the limelight when he was called for a meeting with the then party president Rahul Gandhi in November 2018, who was conducting face-to-face discussions with prominent persons from different fields. The 20 minute meeting extended to more than 2 hours with deep discussions on various political and social issues.

Just a few months later, Pratapgarhi was awarded a ticket to Lok Sabha in 2019 under the Moradabadi constitution where he won the third place with 4.62 % vote share. He was later appointed as the minority department head of AICC in June 2021. Fast forward July 2022, he got elected to the Rajya Sabha as the Congress Nominee from Maharashtra thereby becoming the youngest leader of the Upper house.

Pratapgarhi gained popularity in the Congress circle with people lining up to meet him for hours. People flock in huge numbers to hear his commendable speeches. Pratapgarhi’s poetries are loved for their simple and lucid languages, both in Hindi and Urdu, which are easily followed by one and all.

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