Arundhati Roy Faces Arrest By Indian State Over Kashmir Remark

[hsinghGB]

Vaheguru Ji ka Khalsa, Vaheguru Ji ke Fateh

Pyare Sadh Sangat Ji,

Pasted below is a news story in The Guardian today, stating Indian authorities are considering arresting renowned human rights activist and Booker prize-winning novelist Arundhati Roy for 'claiming that the disputed territory of Kashmir is not an integral part of India'.

This may open a few more eyes in the West to the true 'democratic values' of the Indian state, which routinely uses such laws to silence minorities and the poor who dare to speak out against their oppression and/or exploitation.

The following link is to a lengthy article written by Arundhati Roy exposing the methods of oppression and exploitation employed by the Indian state.

http://www.newstates...lice-government

Vaheguru Ji ka Khalsa, Vaheguru Ji ke Fateh

Arundhati Roy faces arrest over Kashmir remark

Booker prize-winner says claim about territory not being an integral part of India was a call for justice in the disputed region

guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 26 October 2010 13.33 BST

Arundhati Roy Arundhati Roy could face a fine or imprisonment if convicted of sedition.

The Booker prize-winning novelist and human rights campaigner Arundhati Roy is facing the threat of arrest after claiming that the disputed territory of Kashmir is not an integral part of India.

India's home ministry is reported to have told police in Delhi that a case of sedition may be registered against Roy and the Kashmiri separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani for remarks they made at the weekend.

Under Section 124A of the Indian penal code, those convicted of sedition face punishments ranging from a fine to life imprisonment.

Roy – who won the Booker in 1997 for The God of Small Things – is a controversial figure in India for her championing of politically sensitive causes. She has divided opinion by speaking out in support of the Naxalite insurgency and for casting doubt on Pakistan's involvement in the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

But in a statement the 48-year-old author, who is currently in Srinigar, Kashmir, refused to backtrack. "I said what millions of people here say every day. I said what I, as well as other commentators, have written and said for years. Anybody who cares to read the transcripts of my speeches will see that they were fundamentally a call for justice.

"I spoke about justice for the people of Kashmir who live under one of the most brutal military occupations in the world; for Kashmiri Pandits who live out the tragedy of having been driven out of their homeland; for Dalit soldiers killed in Kashmir whose graves I visited on garbage heaps in their villages in Cuddalore; for the Indian poor who pay the price of this occupation in material ways and who are now learning to live in the terror of what is becoming a police state."

After describing her meetings with people caught up in the Kashmir violence, she said: "Some have accused me of giving 'hate speeches', of wanting India to break up. On the contrary, what I say comes from love and pride. It comes from not wanting people to be killed, raped, imprisoned or have their fingernails pulled out in order to force them to say they are Indians. It comes from wanting to live in a society that is striving to be a just one.

"Pity the nation that has to silence its writers for speaking their minds. Pity the nation that needs to jail those who ask for justice, while communal killers, mass murderers, corporate scamsters, looters, rapists, and those who prey on the poorest of the poor roam free."

India's justice minister, M Veerappa Moily, described Roy's remarks as "most unfortunate".

He said: "Yes, there is freedom of speech ... it can't violate the patriotic sentiments of the people."

Moily sidestepped questions about the sedition charges, saying he had yet to see the file on the matter.

Others were less restrained. One person posted a comment on the Indian Express newspaper website calling for the novelist to be charged with treason and executed.

Roy made her original remarks on Sunday in a seminar – entitled Whither Kashmir? Freedom or Enslavement – during which she accused India of becoming a colonial power. Geelani also spoke at the seminar.

Last week police in Indian-administered Kashmir arrested the separatist leader Masrat Alam for allegedly organising anti-India protests. A curfew was also imposed.

More than 100 people are estimated to have died in violence in the valley since June amid continuing protests against Indian rule in a territory where many of Muslim majority favour independence or a transfer of control to Pakistan.

[JasSinghKhalsa]

Well - I don't know what's the issue in what Ms. Roy has said - She has expressed her honest opinion and her solidarity foes for independence of Kashmiris who are facing torture and injustice.

[lsingh]

"My question is why GOI chose this time

just one week before the visit of Obama to

reveal the statement of Headley?"

--------------------------------

Some serious developments related to

Kashmiri struggle for independence

have taken place in recent weeks.

Arundhati Roy (a noted writer) and Syed Ali

Shah Geelani (an important Kashmiri leader)

have been in the spotlight for speaking out

in favor of Kashmir independence and against

Indian atrocities in Kashmir. There have

been demands for putting both of them in

prison for sedition. Things could get

complicated for GoI if some Sikh leaders,

say Simranjit Singh Maan or Jathedar Sri

Akal Takhat Sahib, issue statements in

support of Kashmiris especially during the

visit of President Obama.

In order to manipulate Sikhs and use them

for their own purposes, the GoI and their

affiliates must misinform Sikhs or divert

their attention whenever they get a chance.

Please read the following news reports for

more information on Kashmir developments.

Regards,

Kulbir Singh (Canada)

-------------------------------

Arundhati Roy admits Kashmir remarks

I pity the nation that needs to jail those

who ask for justice: Arundhati Roy

Times of India, Oct 26, 2010

Writer Arundhati Roy, who is in the thick of a

sedition controversy over her speeches on

Kashmir, issued this statement from Srinagar:

"I write this from Srinagar, Kashmir. This

morning's papers say that I may be arrested on

charges of sedition for what I have said at

recent public meetings on Kashmir. I said what

millions of people here say every day. I said

what I, as well as other commentators have written

and said for years. Anybody who cares to read the

transcripts of my speeches will see that they

were fundamentally a call for justice. I spoke

about justice for the people of Kashmir who

live under one of the most brutal military

occupations in the world; for Kashmiri Pandits who

live out the tragedy of having been driven out of

their homeland; for Dalit soldiers killed in

Kashmir whose graves I visited on garbage heaps

in their villages in Cuddalore; for the Indian

poor who pay the price of this occupation

in material ways and who are now learning to

live in the terror of what is becoming a police

state.

Yesterday I traveled to Shopian, the apple-town in

South Kashmir which had remained closed for 47 days

last year in protest against the brutal rape and

murder of Asiya and Nilofer, the young women whose

bodies were found in a shallow stream near their

homes and whose murderers have still not been

brought to justice. I met Shakeel, who is Nilofer's

husband and Asiya's brother. We sat in a circle of

people crazed with grief and anger who had lost

hope that they would ever get 'insaf' (justice) from

India, and now believed that 'Azadi' (freedom) was

their only hope. I met young stone pelters who had

been shot through their eyes. I traveled with a young

man who told me how three of his friends,

teenagers in Anantnag district, had been taken into

custody and had their finger-nails pulled out as

punishment for throwing stones.

In the papers some have accused me of giving

'hate-speeches', of wanting India to break up.

On the contrary, what I say comes from love and pride.

It comes from not wanting people to be killed, raped,

imprisoned or have their finger-nails pulled out in

order to force them to say they are Indians. It

comes from wanting to live in a society that is

striving to be a just one. Pity the nation that

has to silence its writers for speaking their minds.

Pity the nation that needs to jail those who ask for

justice, while communal killers, mass murderers,

corporate scamsters, looters, rapists, and those who

prey on the poorest of the poor, roam free."

Arundhati Roy

October 26 2010

Also:

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2010/20101026/nation.htm#2