[Reader-list] Statement by Arundhati Roy in Support of Taslima Nasrin

[Asit asitreds]

as if domestic slavery ,imperialism human rights violation
poverty,unemployment dwry death humilition of dalits dont exist every one
know what the sangh parivar and people like advani and modi have done to the
country any one who doesnt acknoledge the above problem is not only ignorant
in fact it is a soft term is totally out of touch withcontemporary social
reality either he connoves with the above crime or isremoved from objective
realty in psychritric term we call those people sczhopreniacs niw it ies
wasstew of time to engage with these people who stay in a make beiliveworld
now one last thing about funding what about the thousands of crores of
rupees coming to viswa hindu parishad ans the sangfh privar from abroad to
carry out the fascist hindutva agenda who funds crores of rupees to banavasi
kalyan ashrams to saffronise the adivaSIS ITS ROLE IN KANDMAL COMMUNAL
voilence was really notorious ive nothing to say after this any one who
denies these facts either is extremely brutailised in the saffron agenda or
totally cut off from realty so it is friut less to engage in further
dialouge with them

On Feb 16, 2008 11:33 AM, Aditya Raj Kaul <kauladityaraj at gmail.com> wrote:

> Flowing with the wave is quite easy to do; and things which get easy money
> are as well easier done. But, speaking against terrorists like Yasin Malik
> need balls.
>
> Lets not compare it with what happened in Gujrat. In Kashmir, Sarla Bhat
> was raped, murdered and then cut into pieces by your Yasin Malik and Javed
> Mir; they even killed 4 IAF Officers who were standing at bus-stop with
> their baggage. And, your Godess Arundhati Roy supports them from the core of
> her heart. Maybe because Yasin fights against injustice; and is voice of the
> marganalised; and is secular from top to bottom. The answer we all know is a
> big NO. Yasin Malik owns crores worth of property in Kashmir (Obviously
> illegal;and through HAWALA money) and portrays himself to be a Gandhian. God
> save people who blindly support him.
>
> Want to get enlightened more about Yasin Malik read -
> http://kashmiris-in-exile.blogspot.com/2008/02/yasin-malik-and-india-today-conclave.html
>
> P.S. - Using terms like Human Rights, Imperialism, Marganalised, Domestic
> Slaves and again attacking Advani/Modi won't solve your purpose and neither
> does it serve your point. It shows lack of knowledge, defeatist approach.
>
> God Bless...!
>
>
>   On 2/16/08, Asit asitreds <asitredsalute at gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > what is civilising modrern secular democracy or mediaval fuedal
> > varnashram where one fourth of the poulation is declared untouchable and
> > women domestic slaves who is civilised people spew venom on religious lne o
> > peole who speak out  against exploitation injustice and human right what so
> > civilised inthe gory communal riots of gujrat where a womans womb was torn
> > apart women gang raped who is civilised advani and modi prpogating fascism
> > and mediaval barbarism  arundhati roy doesnt need anybodies opinion sheis ad
> > b millions and has spoken out for the marginalised the poor the advasis and
> > agianst american imperialism
> > asit
> >
> >
> >  On Feb 16, 2008 8:56 AM, Aditya Raj Kaul <kauladityaraj at gmail.com>
> > wrote:
> >
> > > Dear Asit,
> > >
> > >    Wait a little my friend...you have already gone too far. I never
> > > put my reaction here on Arundhati Roy; I merely pasted a link for the
> > > knowledge of the Reader's List. Hope you understand that well. And, it would
> > > be great if discussions and comments are written in a more civilised manner.
> > > Moreover, I personally don't think that I should care to have an opinion on
> > > such fake people like Arundhati herself.
> > >
> > > As you don't have an iota of knowledge on terrorist Yasin Malik and
> > > his doings; you shift towards blabberings against Advani/Modi. Wake up dear.
> > > Learn to differentiate.
> > >
> > > God Bless
> > >
> > > Aditya Raj Kaul
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > On 2/16/08, Asit asitreds <asitredsalute at gmail.com> wrote:
> > > >
> > > > mr aditya rajs reaction to arundhati roy is sick this shows the days
> > > > to come when minories will be hounded out writers gaggled dalits tortured
> > > > more and the list can be horrifieng and long
> > > > now his comment on terrorism if that word has any negetive
> > > > conotation george bush is the biggest terrorist in the world having
> > > > massacred millions in iraq  the zionist israli state and the nda govt was
> > > > shameless in proclaiming thier loyalty to their imperialst masters and the
> > > > zionists who is a biggerterrorist then modi who was instumental in the
> > > > massacre of thousands of minories in gujrat arundhati roy makes open the
> > > > facade of our great free democracy where dissenters are persecuted who is a
> > > > publicity seeker arundhati or advani who in his bloody rath yatra
> > > > communalisedthe whole country ushering in fascim in india
> > > > asit
> > > >
> > > > On Feb 16, 2008 6:54 AM, Aditya Raj Kaul <kauladityaraj at gmail.com>
> > > > wrote:
> > > >
> > > > > Though in reality - Ms. Arundhati "PUBLICITY-SEEKING Roy advocates
> > > > > Terrorism. I think readers would find interesting to read this
> > > > > Acron piece
> > > > > at -
> > > > >
> > > > > http://acorn.nationalinterest.in/2005/03/19/arundhati-roy-advocates-terrorism/
> > > > >
> > > > > Thanks
> > > > > Aditya Raj Kaul
> > > > > New Delhi
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > On 2/16/08, Shuddhabrata Sengupta <shuddha at sarai.net> wrote:
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Dear All,
> > > > > >
> > > > > > As there has been considerable discussion on the Taslima Nasrin
> > > > > issue
> > > > > > on this list, I am forwarding on to the list a statement written
> > > > > and
> > > > > > read by the writer Arundhati Roy, in support of Taslima Nasrin,
> > > > > and
> > > > > > in support of the many others (journalists, doctors, and others)
> > > > > in
> > > > > > conditions of detention in India currently.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > I hope that this will be of interest to some of you on this
> > > > > list,
> > > > > >
> > > > > > regards
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Shuddha
> > > > > >
> > > > > > -----------------------------------
> > > > > > ARUNDHATI ROY' S STATEMENT AT A PRESS CONFERENCE CALLED IN
> > > > > SUPPORT OF
> > > > > > TASLIMA NASRIN'S RIGHT TO STAY IN INDIA IN CONDITIONS OF LIBERTY
> > > > > >
> > > > > > February 13, 2008, Press Club of India, New Delhi, India
> > > > > >
> > > > > > I would like to caution us all against looking at this issue, in
> > > > > > particular the issue of Taslima Nasrin, through the single lens
> > > > > of a
> > > > > > battle between religious fundamentalism and secular liberalism.
> > > > > > Taslima Nasrin herself sometimes contributes to that view. On
> > > > > her
> > > > > > website, she says: "Humankind is facing an uncertain future…. In
> > > > > > particular, the conflict is between two different ideas,
> > > > > secularism
> > > > > > and fundamentalism…. To me, this conflict is basically between
> > > > > > modern, rational, logical thinking and irrational, blind
> > > > > faith.…. It
> > > > > > is a conflict between the future and the past, between
> > > > > innovation and
> > > > > > tradition, between those who value freedom and those who do
> > > > > not."
> > > > > >
> > > > > > How strange it is then, that it was the West Bengal Government —
> > > > > led
> > > > > > by the Communist Party of India (Marxist), a party that sees
> > > > > itself
> > > > > > as the vanguard of secularism, modern, logical, and rational
> > > > > thinking
> > > > > > — that banned Nasrin's autobiographical novel Dwikhandita, not
> > > > > once,
> > > > > > but twice. Twice the ban was successfully challenged in the
> > > > > Calcutta
> > > > > > High Court. The book was published, and for four years people in
> > > > > > Bengal read it and Taslima Nasrin lived in Calcutta. And there
> > > > > the
> > > > > > matter remained — without incident.
> > > > > > Then Nandigram happened. Muslims and Dalits bore the brunt of
> > > > > the
> > > > > > government's attack. The CPI(M) began to worry about losing the
> > > > > > "Muslim vote." So it played the Taslima card. A report by
> > > > > Mohammed
> > > > > > Safi Samsi in the Indian Express (December 1, 2007) tells the
> > > > > story.
> > > > > > The government launched its operation to "recapture" Nandigram
> > > > > at
> > > > > > the end of October 2007:
> > > > > >
> > > > > > On November 1, Path Sanket a CPI(M) magazine published an
> > > > > anonymous
> > > > > > letter supporting Taslima Nasrin, adding some gratuitous insults
> > > > > of
> > > > > > its own against Prophet Mohammed. On the November 8, the
> > > > > government
> > > > > > banned the magazine and a member of the editorial team called
> > > > > > printing the letter a "historic blunder." But, of course,
> > > > > vernacular
> > > > > > newspapers republished the letter. Photocopies of the letter
> > > > > were
> > > > > > then distributed in Muslim-dominated localities.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > On November 21 — a week after more than 60,000 people marched on
> > > > > the
> > > > > > streets protesting the government's actions in Nandigram — the
> > > > > little-
> > > > > > known All India Minority Forum organized a protest that then
> > > > > > "erupted" in violence. The army was called in. The government
> > > > > > deported Taslima Nasrin from West Bengal.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > And today, on February 13, we are all gathered here to discuss
> > > > > "free
> > > > > > speech." Not the recapturing of Nandigram or the continuing
> > > > > > terrorizing, humiliation, and rape of the people who live there.
> > > > > It
> > > > > > seems pretty clear that the threat to free speech comes as much
> > > > > from
> > > > > > chemical hubs and iron ore mines — and from the project of land
> > > > > grab,
> > > > > > enclosure, and mass displacement — as it does from religious
> > > > > > fundamentalism. To not see this is to fall into a trap that has
> > > > > been
> > > > > > cleverly laid for us.Religious fundamentalists, especially those
> > > > > from
> > > > > > minority communities, are often inadvertently playing out a
> > > > > script
> > > > > > that has been written for them. Their outrage, genuine though it
> > > > > may
> > > > > > be, has become a dependable, predictable, and an extremely
> > > > > useful
> > > > > > political device to further the agendas of others.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > The principle of free speech and expression has to negotiate
> > > > > many,
> > > > > > many fundamentalisms. Religious fundamentalism, ultranationalist
> > > > > > fundamentalism, market fundamentalism, among others. Sometimes
> > > > > they
> > > > > > are intertwined in the strangest ways.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Liberals often make the mistake of believing that free speech is
> > > > > a
> > > > > > fundamental right given to us by the Indian constitution — and
> > > > > that
> > > > > > when it is curbed either by the state or by vigilante militias
> > > > > and
> > > > > > thugs, it is because the the constitution is being subverted.
> > > > > This is
> > > > > > not true. Free speech is not our constitutional right. It is a
> > > > > > contained right, beset with caveats, caveats that are always
> > > > > used by
> > > > > > the powerful to control and dominate those who are powerless.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Now, we have a slew of new laws that make not just free speech
> > > > > but
> > > > > > freedom itself in India a pathetic joke, a distant dream. There
> > > > > is
> > > > > > the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), which
> > > > > incorporates
> > > > > > some of the worst provisions of the Prevention of Terrorism Act
> > > > > > (POTA) and Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act
> > > > > > (TADA). There is the Maharashtra Control of Organized Crime Act,
> > > > > the
> > > > > > Madhya Pradesh Control of Organized Crime Act, and the utterly
> > > > > > draconian Chhattisgarh Special Public Security Act (CSPSA). Some
> > > > > of
> > > > > > these laws contain provisions whose sole purpose seems to be to
> > > > > > criminalize everybody and then leave the government free to
> > > > > decide at
> > > > > > leisure whom to imprison. Under the CSPSA and the UAPA, for
> > > > > example,
> > > > > > the government is free to arbitrarily ban any organization
> > > > > without
> > > > > > giving any specific reason for placing the ban.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Here is how the CSPA defines an organization: " 'Organization'
> > > > > means
> > > > > > any combination, body or group of persons whether known by any
> > > > > > distinctive name or not and whether registered under any
> > > > > relevant law
> > > > > > or not and whether governed by any written constitution or not."
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Remember, the vaguer the provisions in the law, the wider the
> > > > > net it
> > > > > > casts, the greater the threat to civil and democratic rights.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Here is how the CSPSA defines an "unlawful activity": "Any
> > > > > action
> > > > > > taken by such [banned] individual or organization whether by
> > > > > > committing an act or by words either spoken or written or by
> > > > > signs or
> > > > > > by visible representation or otherwise."
> > > > > >
> > > > > > And then there are some sub-clauses that widen the net: these
> > > > > are -
> > > > > >
> > > > > > "(i)     which constitutes a danger or menace to public order,
> > > > > peace
> > > > > > or tranquility
> > > > > > (iii)   which interferes or tends to interfere with maintenance
> > > > > of
> > > > > > public order
> > > > > > And, remarkably
> > > > > > (vi)   of encouraging or preaching disobedience to established
> > > > > law
> > > > > > and its institutions."
> > > > > >
> > > > > > In Section 8(5) it says that "Whoever commits or abets or
> > > > > attempts to
> > > > > > commit or abet or plans to commit any unlawful activity shall be
> > > > > > punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to seven
> > > > > years."
> > > > > >
> > > > > > So now they have mind readers in the Chattisgarh government, as
> > > > > well
> > > > > > as seers.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > How can there be even the pretense of free speech or freedom
> > > > > under
> > > > > > laws like these? All over the country, not just journalists and
> > > > > > writers, but anybody who disagrees with the government's plans
> > > > > is
> > > > > > being arrested, tortured, and imprisoned. Sometimes murdered.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Govind Kutty, the editor of People's March, a publication banned
> > > > > for
> > > > > > being sympathetic to Maoist ideology, has been arrested and
> > > > > > imprisoned. The Maoists have as much right to the freedom of
> > > > > > expression, as much right to place their ideology — however
> > > > > abhorrent
> > > > > > the government or anybody else may believe it to be — in the
> > > > > public
> > > > > > domain, in the so-called marketplace of ideas as anybody else
> > > > > does.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > I believe that the ban on People's March should be lifted
> > > > > immediately
> > > > > > and its editor unconditionally released.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Finally, I would like to say that the battle for free speech
> > > > > must not
> > > > > > turn into a battle that limits itself to the freedom of writers,
> > > > > > journalists, and artists alone. We are not the only ones who
> > > > > deserve
> > > > > > this right. A friend from Chattisgarh recently told me of a
> > > > > doctor
> > > > > > who had been arrested because a prescription of his had been
> > > > > found in
> > > > > > some "Naxalite kit," whatever that means.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > In Chattisgarh, 644 villages have been evacuated of their
> > > > > > inhabitants. That's more than 300,000 people — displacement on a
> > > > > mass
> > > > > > scale, which is eventually intended to clear space for corporate
> > > > > > mining interests.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Fifty thousand people have been moved into police camps and have
> > > > > > become recruits for the dreaded Salwa Judum (the supposedly anti
> > > > > > Maoist"people's militia" created and funded by the state
> > > > > government).
> > > > > > Tens of thousands of people have fled to neighboring states to
> > > > > escape
> > > > > > the horror. Nobody is allowed to go back to their villages or to
> > > > > > cultivate their land. What is freedom of expression for a
> > > > > farmer? The
> > > > > > buzz in town is that a new law is on the anvil which says that
> > > > > if
> > > > > > farmland has not been cultivated for two years, it can be
> > > > > diverted
> > > > > > for non-agricultural purposes.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Every form of resistance, peaceful or otherwise, is being shut
> > > > > down
> > > > > > by the state. Of all the cases on the anvil, the goldfish in a
> > > > > bowl,
> > > > > > the dire, menacing warning to us all and to anybody who may be
> > > > > > entertaining the idea "of encouraging or preaching disobedience
> > > > > to
> > > > > > established law and its institutions" is the continued
> > > > > imprisonment
> > > > > > of Dr. Binayak Sen under false charges, underpinned by blatantly
> > > > > > fabricated evidence.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Dr. Binayak Sen, who has worked as a civil rights activist with
> > > > > the
> > > > > > People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) and a doctor in the
> > > > > area
> > > > > > for more than 30 years, was arrested last May, charged under the
> > > > > > CSPSA, the UAPA, and the Indian Penal Code (IPC). He has been in
> > > > > > prison for eight months, denied bail even by the Supreme Court.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > By imprisoning someone like Binayak Sen the Government is trying
> > > > > to
> > > > > > close out the option of peaceful resistance, of democratic
> > > > > space. It
> > > > > > is creating a polarization along the lines of the Bush Doctrine
> > > > > — "If
> > > > > > you are not with us, you are with the terrorists" — in which
> > > > > people
> > > > > > only have the choice between succumbing to displacement and
> > > > > > destitution or resisting by going underground and taking up
> > > > > arms.
> > > > > > This is the beginning of either civil war or the annihilation of
> > > > > the
> > > > > > poor. Once that genie is out of the bottle, it won't go back.
> > > > > There
> > > > > > are reports that the Chhattisgarh state government has asked for
> > > > > 70
> > > > > > battalions of paramilitary forces beyond the 17 battalions that
> > > > > are
> > > > > > already there. A fourfold increase. I fear the worst.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > And so, from this platform I would like to ask for the granting
> > > > > of
> > > > > > citizenship to Taslima Nasrin, for the immediate and
> > > > > unconditional
> > > > > > release of Binayak Sen, Govind Kutty, and the other journalists
> > > > > whose
> > > > > > names have been mentioned at this press conference, experienced
> > > > > > journalists and peaceful activists who understand that reporting
> > > > > the
> > > > > > realities of these situations is the only hope of righting this
> > > > > ship
> > > > > > that is tilting dangerously and about to tip over. If it does
> > > > > tip
> > > > > > over, everybody will suffer, the poor definitely, but the rich
> > > > > too.
> > > > > > There will be no hiding place. I urge those present here to pay
> > > > > keen
> > > > > > attention to the specter that is looming before us. And to begin
> > > > > a
> > > > > > campaign demanding the repeal of these very frightening new laws
> > > > > that
> > > > > > do not merely threaten free speech, but freedom itself.
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > > _________________________________________
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