bjp: The SC sedition order must be viewed in the light of the government’s positive advice:

The BJP on Wednesday said the order should be seen in the light of the government’s overall positive advice that it wants to look into the matter, after the Supreme Court stayed the opposition’s appeal against the sedition law. Nalin Kohli, a spokeswoman for the “appropriately adopted” party, was quoted by the court as saying that the Modi government had so far removed more than 1,500 ancient and obsolete laws and more than 25,000 consent forms to make life easier for its citizens.

In its landmark order on sedition law, which was under intense public scrutiny, a bench headed by Chief Justice NV Ramna said there was a need to balance the interests of civil liberties and the interests of citizens with the state.

A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli stayed the proceedings in the sedition case and directed the Center and the states not to re-register the FIR on sedition charges unless the sedition law is “under review”.

The government said in an earlier affidavit that it was willing to consider matters related to the law.

Citing the affidavit, the BJP spokesperson said, “With the overall positive advice of the government, the Supreme Court order must be seen that they want to examine the matter. It has been duly accepted by the court.”

Congress welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision, sending a clear message to dissidents that “you can no longer suppress the voice of truth” and that critics of the government must be heard.

Left parties have demanded that the Supreme Court overturn the sedition law altogether, alleging that it was abused during the BJP rule.