Discourseisabattlefield,andtexts(inthebroadestsense)areweaponsinsuchbattles.ContemporaryIndiahasbecomeamajorbattlegroundinthese“textwars“thereisnoendinsighttothecrudetinkeringwithcenturiesofintellectualadvancecurrentlybeingindulgedinbypuritanicalrevisionists.Iftheysucceed,Indiawillberedefinedbyhavingitsinstitutionsforcedintolinewithwhatcanbestbedescribedasanationalistagenda.ThiscollectionoftextsbyIndianandnon-Indianauthorstacklesquestionsoffreeexpression,communication,censorshipandsocialpressure,butalsoproblemsofsocialandmediaresponsibility.Itcontainsessaysbywriters,journalistsandscholars,mediaspecialistsandpoliticalcommentators,andincludesaccountsbycontributorswhohavethemselvesbeenthedirectvictimsofcensorship,bullyingandintimidation;therearepoems,too,andacartooncomic-strip.Mostofthetextsareoriginalsthatwerewrittenforthispublication.Thebookstandsoutbecauseofthehighcalibreofthecontributors,butalsobecauseofthepassionoftheircontributions.Thisis,afterall,awarthatmustnotbelost.
