Ordinary citizens’ freedom cannot be taken away: Siddique Kappan’s daughter

Malappuram: As India celebrated its 76th Independence Day, the nine-year old daughter of Malayali journalist Siddique Kappan — booked and jailed under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act in the Hathras conspiracy case — said that ordinary citizens’ freedom be not taken away.
“I am the daughter of a journalist who has been left to languish in jail, by being denied the basic civil rights available to all Indian citizens,” is how the nine-year old began her Independence day speech at her school on Monday, a video of which has gone viral on social media.
“I am Mehnaz Kappan. Daughter of journalist Siddique Kappan, a citizen who has been forced into a dark room by breaking all of the freedom of a citizen…”: 9-year-old daughter of Siddique Kappan in her Independence Day speech. #SiddiqueKappan #IndiaAt75 #IndependenceDay2022 pic.twitter.com/JbdDUOmuQn — azeefa (@AzeefaFathima) August 15, 2022 In her little over two minute-long speech, she said that every Indian has the right to resist or oppose those asking them to leave, they have the choice to decide what to speak, eat or which religion to profess and all this is possible due to the struggles and sacrifices of freedom fighters like Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Bhagat Singh and countless others.
“Remembering all those freedom fighters, my request is not to take away the freedom and rights of the ordinary citizens,” she said.
She also said that India’s pride should not be surrendered before anyone.
Also Read Allahabad high court rejects journalist Siddique Kappan’s bail plea In her speech, she further said that there was still unrest in the country as it was evident from the violence on the basis of religion, color or politics and said that the same should be “rooted out with love and unity”.