India, Nov. 13 -- A few weeks ago, in October, the Supreme Court refused to quash a FIR, registered by the Uttar Pradesh (UP) police, against the folk singer Neha Rathore. Rathore had published various tweets in the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack. Following this, the UP police booked her for various offences, including "endangering the sovereignty, unity, and integrity of India", for these allegedly "provocative" posts. Rathore first approached the high court, which denied her relief, and then the Supreme Court, which also denied her relief.

This case marks the latest instance in a disturbing trend of the higher judiciary failing to protect citizens from the abuse of State power, simply for exercising their constitutionally guaranteed ...