The Story of Section 295-A: A Law and Literature Approach
Abstract
This thesis examines the historical origins of section 295-A of the Indian Penal Code using analytical methods borrowed from the law and literature movement. The law was enacted in 1927 in response to controversy that erupted over the acquittal of Mahashe Rajpal, who was the publisher of a scurrilous pamphlet entitled Rangila Rasul. The development of this law is traced through the narratives that appeared in various archival documents, including court rulings, newspaper articles and minutes from the Indian Legislative Assembly Debates. The Rangila Rasul affair, and its culmination in the form of section 295-A, illustrates the multifaceted and entangled relationship that exists between law and narrative, and provides a rich historical context for engaging with contemporary debates surrounding subsequent applications of the law.
Description
Keywords
Religion, Religion--History of, History, Law
Citation
McLachlan, E. (2017). The Story of Section 295-A: A Law and Literature Approach (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca. doi:10.11575/PRISM/28391