Am I living it right? | Young Ideas

Democracy seems to be the catchphrase bouncing off everyone's lips, and freedom of speech is the issue of the day. But what do these terms really mean? And more importantly, what do people understand by them? This month, to mark 9 November, the Constitution Day, we asked young Nepali celebrities about their idea of democracy and freedom of speech.

The word 'democracy' originates from the Greek word 'demokratia.' The components of the word are 'demos', the people; 'kratein', to rule; and the suffix 'ia'. The term means "rule by the people". The most popular definition of democracy has been given by the 16th US president Abraham Lincoln: "of the people, by the people, for the people."

Freedom of Speech is a trickier subject. Article 19 in the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights states, "Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers." Article 12 in the constitution of Nepal specifies: "All citizens shall have the following freedoms (a) freedom of opinion and expression" (This comes with a disclaimer that says provided that "nothing in the sub-clause (a) shall be deemed to prevent the making of laws to impose reasonable restrictions on any act which may undermine the sovereignty and integrity of the Kingdom of Nepal, or which may jeopardise the harmonious relations subsisting among the people of various castes, tribes or communities, or on any act of sedition, defamation, contempt of court or incitement to an offence; or on any act which may be contrary to decent public behaviour or morality."

The Constitution further guarantees the right to information stating, "Every citizen shall have the right to demand and receive information on any matter of public importance; provided that nothing in this Article shall compel any person to provide information on any matter about which secrecy is to be maintained by law." Now, let's see what our young celebs have to say.

Democracy: A state when individuals can do whatever they want without interference and intervention. But it shouldn't mean that we are free to violate rules and regulations.

Freedom of speech: Being able to speak my mind without restrictions. But it's actually good to choose the words before speaking.

Democracy: An environment that ensures my freedom of expression. It's about being free and supporting the slogan 'live and let others live'.

Freedom of speech: Being able to say what I feel. But that doesn't mean I can hurt others intentionally.

Democracy: It's a process. It's a method, a means to be "just" human beings. It's a strategy that gives you the freedom to be who you are.

Freedom of speech: The constitutional provision for freedom of speech is a broad-based directive. But in Nepal, it's almost non-existent. Everybody interprets it in their own way, there is no accountability. The nation is going through labour pain. If a physically-challenged child is born, the mother will certainly feel the child's pain. As to what sort of a child will be born from this, we'll have to wait and see.
Shivani Singh Tharu, media person

Democracy: For me, it's basically about rights. It means every party getting their rights and learning how to use them.

Freedom of speech: The right to say what you want but within certain limits. Every place has its limits and so does Nepal. The government has rules and we have placed our faith in them. We need to respect these rules.

Democracy: It's not just something written in the constitution. It's not just something politicians, delegates or other government officials exercise. Every individual must understand their freedom and its limitations. Violating someone else's freedom is not exercising your rights. Democracy gives you choices; so in a way, choosing a right or wrong thing is exercising democracy. And dealing with the consequences is democracy too.

Freedom of speech: It's not random yakkity yak. It's not plagiarism or quoting something from a magazine or movie. It means having enough guts to say aloud what you truly believe in, even if it hurts someone else. But unless you free yourself from convention, you cannot exercise your right to freedom of speech. You should have valid reasons to exercise it. If you honestly believe in what you say and maintain your individuality while voicing your thoughts, it's freedom of speech.

Pooja Gurung, TV presenter/producer/director

Democracy: It's the only form of governance in which the government is dedicated to the welfare of the people and they can raise their voices if they are not satisfied. But what is more important is that the government and the people should understand each other. Right now in Nepal, this bond does not exist.

Freedom of speech: We are born as individuals and have different ideas. We should have the freedom to express our opinions. At present, people are not expressing themselves correctly and are not being able to do so due to pressure. Recently, I was on my way to my school but was barred from going through the road near Patan Campus by the army because of disturbances in the area. I was perturbed and had to walk a much longer route but I couldn't voice my anger against it.

Democracy: Democracy is "Janata ko lagi janata ko shasan." Democracy is a must in every country. To fulfil the needs of the people, the citizens themselves must have sovereign power. Even in a democracy, the responsibility for a country's development rests on the shoulders of its citizens, and not just the government.

Freedom of speech: It is the biggest power a common individual has—the power to communicate. It gives me the freedom to express my feelings and voice my opinions on the things that I am not satisfied with.

Democracy: Nine-lettered word, which has very bold meaning. I guess a country can't live without democracy and democracy can't live without proper management of the politicians...and I'm pretty sure that our politicians haven't been practical about it.
Freedom of speech: I think it's something that an individual gets to express their inner feelings without any obligations. I love freedom of speech because you get to know what exactly people feel and think about you or anything that is related to you...sometimes it can be harsh but instead of taking it negatively, we should try to think about it twice and see possible changes.

Democracy: Democracy gives one absolute freedom to do what one wants. But freedom does not mean a person takes a belt and beats a kid. That's madness. Democracy is a direction. It's a prevention before a problem arises. There is the misconception that democracy or freedom is doing whatever you want which it is not.

Freedom of speech: The constitution guarantees freedoms but there are constraints. It depends on one's perspective. Of course, at present it's not going according to the constitution. We're not getting the freedoms guaranteed by the constitution.

Democracy: Democracy has never existed and does not exist in our context. It has had a spillover effect after India's independence. Democracy has not evolved over time. Its objective and purpose have not been understood.

Freedom of speech: With democracy comes freedom of press, the right to vote, and the right to free speech. So, when the seed doesn't exist, how will the plant grow? In this age, if people don't have freedom of speech, there will be a revolution. Freedom of speech is a must for change.