Sonepur: The annual event of books and literary festival, Inkfest-2018, on Sunday became a platform to discuss and deliberate on the importance of freedom of speech and the recent tendency of forces antagonistic to it curb it.

Speakers at the seminar on "Freedom of speech and constitutional democracy" unequivocally said that the right to speak up captured the essence of democracy and in present-day India it was in danger.

The speakers at the seminar, which was held in the backdrop of rightist forces murdering journalist Gauri Lankesh and rationalist writers Narendra Dabholkar, Govind Pansare and M.M. Kalburgi in the past few years, said that suppressing the voice of the people was of grave concern.

Academic Bijaya Kumar Bohidar said that democracy in India had survived the test of time because of the Constitution.

"It is due to the constitution that India has stood strong as a democracy and has developed in all fields including literature, science, education and economy. But it is a matter of great concern that in the last few years there have been attacks on the rights of people by the fascist, communalist, fundamentalist and capitalist forces. There have been efforts to curb the freedom of speech and attack people to suppress their voice," Bohidar said.

Whoever protests is branded anti-national, he said.

"A time has come when any kind of protest is branded anti-national, while the protestors become anti-national anarchist. This darkens the beauty of our democracy," Bohidar said.

Prof Sribanta Dash said that Constitution formed an integral part of a vibrant democracy.

"It is the Constitution that gives India a vibrant democracy. Now the time has come for all to safeguard the Constitution to save the democracy," he said.

The professor recollected how the Greek philosopher, Socrates, was made to drink poison for telling the truth.

"Everybody knows the fate of the Greek philosopher who had to drink poison to end his life for telling truth. A democracy that doesn't protect one's freedom of speech is meaningless," he said.

Senior advocate and Inkfest advisor Gourishyam Panda coordinated the seminar.

The event held here is a collaborative effort of the state government's department of Odia language, literature and culture and the district culture council of Sonepur.