Soul of Democracy

TOPIC: The soul of democracy lies in letting citizens voice their criticism against the government and express their dissent on its decisions.

Dissent is the very essence of freedom and democracy of a country. If the citizens do not question and raise doubts questioning age-old systems, no new system will develop, and the country will not progress. No doubt, the dissent must be expressed in a peaceful manner but citizens have the right to get together and protest when they feel that actions taken by the government are not good for the welfare of its citizens. If a country has to grow and progress in a holistic manner where not only the economic rights of the citizens are to be protected, but dissent and disagreement have also to be encouraged.
Preksha Mohil (17)
St Anselm’s, Mansarovar, Jaipur

Voicing one’s opinion or criticism is really important for the growth of oneself as well as for an organization, including the government. I do agree that letting citizens voice their criticism against the government and expressing their opinions on the government’s decisions is very important for a democracy to thrive. Abraham Lincoln defined democracy as the government of the people, by the people, for the people. It means that the government is accountable to its people, and citizens should be allowed to voice their opinions freely and without fear. The government should take such criticism constructively and not punish those who dissent, as it will lead to the death of democracy.
Lubna Mendonca (14)
Regina Mundi High School, Goa

The right to freedom of opinion and the right to freedom of conscience by themselves include the extremely important right to disagree. The right to disagree, the right to dissent and the right to hold another point of view belong inherently to every citizen of the country. When we view all these together, it is more than obvious that the right to dissent, in my opinion, is the most important right granted to its citizens by the Constitution.
Prina Bhardwaj (14)
St Joseph’s Convent School, Jalandhar

Democracy is always for the people, and so the people have every right to ask questions, criticize the government and express dissent on its decisions. The government was made for the people, for their betterment. So if people’s living conditions are not improving, they have the right to question those in power.
Saanvi Bhalla (13)
St Joseph’s Convent School, Jalandhar

The people of a country always have a right to criticize those running the administration of the country: the Government or the Executive. It is critical that they assist those in power in good governance and keep a watch on public functionaries, providing those in power a touchstone to test the worth of their activities.
Amrita (12)
St Joseph’s Convent School, Jalandhar

To ensure that the government actually works for the people, organized, active and peaceful expression of dissent is required. This empowers citizens to voice their concerns, act collectively and hold public officials accountable. For the holistic growth of the country, the civil rights of the citizens should be protected, dissent should be permitted, as a matter of fact, it should be encouraged.
Khyati Aggarwal (15)
St Joseph’s Convent School, Jalandhar

According to Mahatma Gandhi, we are a free country only when the citizens enjoy freedom of speech. People are the very soul of democracy. They elect the government directly or indirectly, and so their voices are important ingredients for a healthy democracy. Dissent is a human right and must be encouraged. It is not only through discussions but also through dissent that we can strive to run the country better.
Nisha Singh
Convent of Jesus & Mary High School & Jr College, Navi Mumbai