[Reader-list] Statement by Arundhati Roy on the Attack on her Residence

Rajkamal Goswami rajkamalgoswami at gmail.com
Mon Nov 1 16:04:56 IST 2010 

Dear Samvit,

I would say nothing but wait for that day when some protesters would
come and do a violent dharna infront of your residence and break and
damage your personal property. I am sure you would embrace them and
thank them for exercising their right of expression.

Thanks and regards
Rajkamal

On 11/1/10, anupam chakravartty <c.anupam at gmail.com> wrote:
> "What is the nature of the agreement between these sections of the media and
> mobs and criminals in search of spectacle? Does the media which positions
> itself at the ‘scene’ in advance have a guarantee that the attacks and
> demonstrations will be non-violent? What happens if there is criminal
> trespass (as there was today) or even something worse? Does the media then
> become accessory to the crime?"
>
> http://www.countermedia.in/?p=298
>
> On Mon, Nov 1, 2010 at 1:46 PM, anupam chakravartty
> <c.anupam at gmail.com>wrote:
>
>> How have we understood freedom of expression Mr Kaul? With an eye for an
>> eye? how is it expression then? what have you expressed? you just reacted
>> with a statement: "FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION, you see, for the ladies who were
>> protesting. Lets support them together."
>>
>> All the best
>> Anupam
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> On Mon, Nov 1, 2010 at 1:32 PM, Aditya Raj Kaul
>> <kauladityaraj at gmail.com>wrote:
>>
>>> I would condemn this so called 'attack' once I see the pictures.
>>> Strangely,
>>> even the Police couldn't see anything. Merely stationing of OB Vans
>>> doesn't
>>> mean an attack is about to take place.
>>>
>>> Let Krishenji with Arundhati provide some pictures of 'hooliganism' for
>>> the
>>> world to see rather than press statements for publicity sake.
>>>
>>> FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION, you see, for the ladies who were protesting. Lets
>>> support them together.
>>>
>>> On Mon, Nov 1, 2010 at 11:08 AM, Samvit <samvitr at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>> > Dear Sonia,
>>> > I think what Rashneek's wrote answers your question. Roy uses democracy
>>> to
>>> > tarnish democracy. She and her cronies bend on their knees when they
>>> > are
>>> in
>>> > the Valley. You should have seen how Gautam was sitting like a
>>> frightened
>>> > pigeon before he went on to speak at the Saddar Court complex. He
>>> > apologized
>>> > for his facebook remarks, took his statement back and only then could
>>> one
>>> > see him breathing easy. He knew the rules of the Valley, they are
>>> similar
>>> > to
>>> > the ones that Roy follows. It would have been almost impossible for
>>> Gautam
>>> > to step his foot in Kashmir if he did not go with the flow. After that
>>> > statement, the goshtabas flowed. Talk about Goshtaba diplomacy!!
>>> > Sonia, you must have heard Roy calling India a "bhookha, nanga desh!!".
>>> > Perhaps, this could also be used for her- "ek ghoshtabe ke bhooke aur
>>> > ad-nangee Roy!" but then the "hooligan right wingers" seem to be more
>>> > cultured than the "ghoshtaba eating "so called "leftists/maoists".
>>> > -Sam
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > On Mon, Nov 1, 2010 at 10:13 AM, SJabbar <sonia.jabbar at gmail.com>
>>> wrote:
>>> >
>>> > > Dear Samvit,
>>> > > You need to distinguish between the right to expression or free
>>> > > speech
>>> > and
>>> > > the right to indulge in violence or to incite violence.  The first is
>>> > > enshrined in our constitution, the second punishable by law.  To call
>>> > > Arundhati Roy a thug and to equate her political views with those who
>>> can
>>> > > only counter her political views with physical violence is a
>>> > > travesty.
>>> > > You cannot wish someone "good health and safety" while cheering on
>>> people
>>> > > bent on tearing down her house and doing her injury.
>>> > > sj
>>> > >
>>> > >
>>> > > On 01/11/10 9:15 AM, "Samvit" <samvitr at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> > >
>>> > > > A classic example of *pot calling the kettle black*. How
>>> conveniently
>>> > > > you
>>> > > abuse and slot others. If someone is attacking Roy's house I think it
>>> > > > is
>>> > > their way of expression. Roy doesn't hold a monopoly on "right
>>> > > > to
>>> > > expression" and neither does she decide where to draw the line. She
>>> > > > should
>>> > > be knowing all this very well since she keeps company of known
>>> > > > terrorists of
>>> > > the ilk that were seen in Delhi with her. Why do you feel so
>>> > > > meek now that
>>> > > you have to be sladerous?? using words like.....hooligans,
>>> > > > obsene....
>>> > >
>>> > > Although I wish her good health and safety so that she can
>>> > > > continue
>>> > > gallavanting from place to place, topic to topic but then there are
>>> > > > millions
>>> > > out there who get inspired by her and want to teach her some
>>> > > > "expression".
>>> > > Thugs like her understand the language of thugs, perhaps.
>>> > >
>>> > >
>>> > > On
>>> > > > Sun, Oct 31, 2010 at 10:31 PM, shuddha at sarai.net <shuddha at sarai.net
>>> > > >wrote:
>>> > >
>>> > > >
>>> > > > Dear all,
>>> > > >
>>> > > > the disgusting and obscene attacks on Arundhati Roy in sections
>>> > > > of the
>>> > > > media
>>> > > > and even, unfortunately on a forum like this one by right
>>> > > > wing hooligans
>>> > > > (including some on this list) is now being complemented by
>>> > > > attacks and
>>> > > > vandalism at her residence, in the full glare of the media. It
>>> > > > is not Ms.
>>> > > > Roy
>>> > > > who seeks out media coverage, it is the thugs who attack
>>> > > > her who
>>> > > > pre-arrange to
>>> > > > have television OB vans in place while they attempt
>>> > > > to ransack her
>>> > > > residence.
>>> > > >
>>> > > > Those interested may read the statement below
>>> > > > by Arundhati Roy in response
>>> > > > to
>>> > > > the most recent attack,
>>> > > >
>>> > > > best,
>>> > > >
>>> > > >
>>> > > > Shuddha
>>> > > >
>>> > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------
>>> > > >
>>> > > >
>>> > > >
>>> > > > SOMETHING FOR THE MEDIA TO THINK ABOUT
>>> > > >
>>> > > >  A mob of about a hundred people
>>> > > > arrived at my house at 11 this morning
>>> > > > (Sunday
>>> > > > October 31st 2010.) They
>>> > > > broke through the gate and vandalized property.
>>> > > > They
>>> > > > shouted slogans
>>> > > > against me for my views on K...ashmir, and threatened to
>>> > > > teach
>>> > > > me a
>>> > > > lesson. The OB Vans of NDTV, Times Now and News 24 were already in
>>> > > > place
>>> > > >
>>> > > > ostensibly to cover the event live. TV reports say that the mob
>>> > > consisted>
>>> > > > largely of members of the BJP¹s Mahila Morcha (Women¹s wing). After
>>> > they
>>> > > >
>>> > > > left, the police advised us to let them know if in future we saw
>>> > > > any
>>> OB
>>> > > >
>>> > > > vans
>>> > > > hanging around the neighborhood because they said that was an
>>> > > > indication
>>> > > > that a
>>> > > > mob was on its way. In June this year, after a false
>>> > > > report in the papers
>>> > > > by
>>> > > > Press Trust of India (PTI) two men on motorcycles
>>> > > > tried to stone the
>>> > > > windows of
>>> > > > my home. They too were accompanied by TV
>>> > > > cameramen.
>>> > > >
>>> > > > What is the nature of the agreement between these sections of
>>> > > > the media and
>>> > > > mobs and criminals in search of spectacle? Does the media
>>> > > > which positions
>>> > > > itself at the Œscene¹ in advance have a guarantee that the
>>> > > > attacks and
>>> > > > demonstrations will be non-violent? What happens if there is
>>> > > > criminal
>>> > > > trespass
>>> > > > (as there was today) or even something worse? Does the
>>> > > > media then become
>>> > > > accessory to the crime? This question is important, given
>>> > > > that some TV
>>> > > > channels
>>> > > > and newspapers are in the process of brazenly
>>> > > > inciting mob anger against
>>> > > > me. In
>>> > > > the race for sensationalism the line
>>> > > > between reporting news and
>>> > > > manufacturing
>>> > > > news is becoming blurred. So what
>>> > > > if a few people have to be sacrificed at
>>> > > > the
>>> > > > altar of TRP ratings? The
>>> > > > Government has indicated that it does not intend
>>> > > > to
>>> > > > go ahead with the
>>> > > > charges of sedition against me and the other speakers at
>>> > > > a
>>> > > > recent seminar
>>> > > > on Azadi for Kashmir.
>>> > > >
>>> > > > So the task of punishing me for my views seems to
>>> > > > have been taken on by
>>> > > > right
>>> > > > wing storm troopers. The Bajrang Dal and the
>>> > > > RSS have openly announced that
>>> > > > they are going to ³fix² me with all the means
>>> > > > at their disposal including
>>> > > > filing cases against me all over the country.
>>> > > > The whole country has seen
>>> > > > what
>>> > > > they are capable of doing, the extent to
>>> > > > which they are capable of going.
>>> > > > So,
>>> > > > while the Government is showing a
>>> > > > degree of maturity, are sections of the
>>> > > > media
>>> > > > and the infrastructure of
>>> > > > democracy being rented out to those who believe
>>> > > > in mob
>>> > > > justice? I can
>>> > > > understand that the BJP's Mahila Morcha is using me to
>>> > > > distract
>>> > > > attention
>>> > > > the from the senior RSS activist Indresh Kumar who has recently
>>> > > > been
>>> > > > named
>>> > > > in the CBI charge-sheet for the bomb blast in Ajmer Sharif in which
>>> > > > several
>>> > > > people were killed and many injured. But why are sections of the
>>> > > > mainstream
>>> > > > media doing the same? Is a writer with unpopular views more
>>> > > > dangerous than a
>>> > > > suspect in a bomb blast? Or is it a question of
>>> > > > ideological
>>> > > > alignment?
>>> > > >
>>> > > >
>>> > > > Arundhati Roy
>>> > > > October 31st 2010
>>> > > >
>>> > > >
>>> > > >
>>> > > > _________________________________________
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>>> > >
>>> > >
>>> > >
>>> > >
>>> > > --
>>> > > Samvit
>>> > > > Rawal
>>> > > 9422037853
>>> > > -----------------------------------------------------------
>>> > > T
>>> > > > o err is human; to forgive, infrequent.
>>> > >  - Franklin P.
>>> > > > Adams
>>> > > _________________________________________
>>> > > reader-list: an open
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>>> > >
>>> > >
>>> > >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > --
>>> > Samvit Rawal
>>> > 9422037853
>>> > -----------------------------------------------------------
>>> > To err is human; to forgive, infrequent.
>>> >   - Franklin P. Adams
>>> > _________________________________________
>>> > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city.
>>> > Critiques & Collaborations
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>>
>>
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-- 
Rajkamal

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