DIMAPUR, JANUARY 19 (MExN): The All India Public Sector and Central Government Officers` Confederation (AIPCOC) today issued a statement condemning the Indian Government’s “diktat” against criticizing government policies. The confederation which represents 13 lakh officers including Banks, Insurance, Telecom, Power, Oil, Defence, Railway, Dock, Pharmaceuticals and Central Govt. Gazetted officers, was critical of the notification “to put a taboo on the government and PSU employees to criticize the government or its policies.” It also noted that last year the finance ministry had warned employees and officers of disciplinary action if they criticize the government or any of its policies. Instructions have also been issued in the past wherein it has been impressed upon all concerned employees to refrain from commenting adversely on the government and its policies. The instructions cite service rules that bar any government servant from making any adverse criticism of any policy or action of the government. “We all are aware that ‘Democracy is based on fair criticism; and freedom of speech and expression is highly protected by the Indian Constitution. A blanket prohibition of criticism of the policies of the Government is invalid and void, and it makes no difference if the person criticizing happens to be a government servant or the employee of a public institution,’ the statement pointed out. It therefore termed this as “curbing freedom to have an opinion and to express it.” “Isn’t government curtailing freedom of expression through this diktat? Isn’t it a blatant murder of democracy within the periphery of the largest democracy of the world?” the confederation questioned. The Government is not above the people, it added. The AIPCOC noted that that when dealing with the issue of sedition and freedom of speech, the Bombay High Court in an order passed in 2015 ruled that the charge cannot be invoked whenever the government is criticized unless such censure leads to violent public disorder. The court even strongly worded that comments used to show disapproval of the government’s actions will not amount to sedition if they do not instigate public to resort to violence, it informed. It also cited another verdict last year wherein the Supreme Court of India ruled that Sedition or defamation cases cannot be slapped on anyone criticizing the government. It ruled that “Someone making a statement to criticize the government does not invoke an offence under sedition or defamation law. We have made it clear that invoking of section 124(A) of IPC (sedition) requires certain guidelines to be followed as per the earlier judgement of the apex court.”