New Delhi, Sept. 9 --

Dissent and democracy are often considered synonymous in a liberal-democratic social order. It is through open debate and discussion that the huge range of diversity of opinion in a democracy is captured. It is by means of such continuous conversation on relevant issues and contretemps that the real truth comes out. However, many have questioned the putative usefulness of 'dissent for the sake of dissent', as without much import.

It is suggested that motivated and manufactured dissent can do more harm than good in an 'open society'. The critics point out that too much of dissension actually thwarts and frustrates a meaningful discourse. This is because a conscious attempt is usually made to drown out the real issu...