Being Tolerant Doesn't Mean Tolerate Hate Speech: Justice DY Chandrachud

Supreme Court judge Justice DY Chandrachud asked graduating students in Gujarat National Law University (GNLU) to be guided by their "own conscience and equitable reason"

Being accepting and tolerant of others' opinions does not mean one should also accept hate speech, Supreme Court judge Justice DY Chandrachud said here on Saturday. In his convocation address at Gujarat National Law University (GNLU) here, he urged the graduating students to be guided by their "own conscience and equitable reason".

In the world of social media "with limited attention span," it helps to remember that "a lot of work we do will only have long-term impact and we should not be worried about the everyday distraction," he said in the speech, delivered through video link.

"The words famously attributed to Voltaire, 'I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to death your right to say it,' must be incorporated into our being. Making mistakes, being accepting and tolerant to the opinions of others by no means translates to blind conformity, and it does not mean not standing up against hate speech," the judge said.

As the students step into the outer world amid "the increasing noise and confusion of political, social and moral clashes of majority," they must be guided by the path of their "own conscience and equitable reasons," he said at the 11th convocation of the GNLU.