{"product_id":"bluone-ink-blasphemy-let-me-speak-by-kushal-mehra","title":"BluOne Ink Blasphemy: Let Me Speak by Kushal Mehra","description":"\u003ch2\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBluOne Ink Blasphemy: Let Me Speak by Kushal Mehra\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eDescription:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn today’s\nIndia, two words can end careers, ignite mobs, and silence debate: “hurt\nsentiments.” But when did questioning become a crime? And how did a\ncivilisation that once celebrated fearless philosophical debate become a\nsociety walking on eggshells? In Blasphemy: Let Me Speak, Kushal Mehra\ntakes on one of the most contentious issues of our time—the idea of blasphemy\nitself. Drawing from history, philosophy, law, and contemporary politics, Mehra\nargues that the very notion of blasphemy is fundamentally alien to India’s\nindigenous intellectual traditions. For millennia, Indian thought thrived on\nargument, skepticism, and dissent from the audacious materialism of the\nCārvākas to the pluralism of the dharmic darśanas. Questioning was not\npunished; it was celebrated.\nSo how did a\nculture of open inquiry transform into a culture of outrage? Through a sharp\nand provocative analysis, this book traces the historical roots of blasphemy,\nits entry into India’s legal framework under colonial rule, and its modern use\nas a tool to silence free speech. Examining landmark legal cases, religious\nsensitivities, and the growing climate of censorship, Mehra confronts a\ndifficult question: Can a society truly progress if its ideas cannot be\nchallenged? Bold,\nunapologetic, and intellectually fearless, Blasphemy: Let Me Speak is\nnot an attack on faith—it is a defense of freedom. It is a call to reclaim\nIndia’s ancient spirit of debate, where ideas were tested through dialogue, not\nsuppressed through intimidation. Because a civilisation that stops questioning\neventually stops thinking.\nEndorsements:\n‘Kushal rejects the notion\nof mere “tolerance”. He demands active blasphemy as the only antidote to civilization\nossification, especially to a new generation that associates argument with\noffence and censorship with virtue. His argument is that a culture can only\nsurvive through evolution, and evolution requires constant, painful scrutiny.\nClearly this isn’t a book for those with fragile egos.’\nAbhijit\nIyer-Mitra, defence and foreign policy\nanalyst\n‘How much free speech is\nacceptable in a society? Who decides? Is “feeling offended” sufficient ground\nto silence, censor, or punish? And when speech—or the power to censor—is\nmisused, who draws the line? In Blasphemy: Let Me Speak, Kushal argues\nfor more speech, not less. Let every idea find expression. Let society function\nas a true marketplace of ideas, where arguments are openly tested and debated.\nThe state, he contends, must remain an enabler of free speech even when it\noffends. As he builds his case, he takes us through the history of censorship\nand its consequences, past and present. One may agree or disagree, but this\nbook compels you to think—and more importantly, to think consistently—because it\ndeals with a question that affects us all in one way or another.’\nAmi\nGanatra, bestselling author\n‘The Abrahamic–Dharmic\nencounter, as Kushal writes, is the context of this very rigorous and\nmultifaceted argument against the concept of blasphemy, particularly in India\nbut globally as well. Over and above the deontological imperative of free\nspeech, competitive censorship is a mug’s game from a consequentialist\nperspective too. There is no alternative to a hard, strong but limited state\nwith expanded capacity, technology, and resources to deter and punish vigilante\nviolence of all hues. Unsurprising that a Carvaka, steeped in the Vedic ways of\nour forefathers, has been able to see that.’\nHarsh\nMadhusudan Gupta, author and economist\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLanguage: \u003c\/strong\u003eEnglish\u003c\/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFormat (Paperback\/Hardcover): \u003c\/strong\u003ePaper Back\u003c\/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAuthor: \u003c\/strong\u003eKushal Mehra\u003c\/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNo. of Pages: \u003c\/strong\u003e224\u003c\/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date: \u003c\/strong\u003e19 Mar 2026\u003c\/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCategory: \u003c\/strong\u003eNon-Fiction\u003c\/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimension (L*B*H): \u003c\/strong\u003e216x140\u003c\/li\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLegal Disclaimer : \u003c\/strong\u003eProduct color may slightly vary due to photographic lighting sources or your monitor settings.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BluOne Ink","offers":[{"title":"Paper Back","offer_id":54153292153045,"sku":"9789365470253","price":23.03,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0766\/1574\/5749\/files\/BookImage_5944_9789365470253.jpg?v=1783316673","url":"https:\/\/swadesiicart.com\/products\/bluone-ink-blasphemy-let-me-speak-by-kushal-mehra","provider":"Swadesiicart","version":"1.0","type":"link"}