Mental health is gaining attention, but legal and policy gaps remain. Laws in the U.S. and India require insurance coverage for mental health equal to physical health, but enforcement is weak. Insurers often impose hidden limits, exclusions, or inadequate coverage, leaving treatment unaffordable for many. True parity means mandatory, comprehensive coverage—including telehealth—strong regulation, public investment, and workforce expansion. Courts have advanced mental health rights, but without funding and accountability, progress risks remaining symbolic. Achieving real parity requires treating mental health with the same seriousness as physical health—in law, policy, and budgets.
A Symbiosis law student from Kolkata was arrested in Gurgaon after posting a video on Instagram alleged to contain derogatory remarks against a religion. Though she deleted the video and issued an apology, she faces charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for promoting enmity and provoking breach of peace. The case raises key questions on the scope of free speech under Article 19(1)(a) and its limits under Article 19(2). Courts must now decide whether her statement amounts to hate speech or falls within protected expression, a ruling that could influence future free speech jurisprudence.
