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

Mon Nov 1 16:08:32 IST 2010

Rajkamal,

I am somehow very confused about the "right to express". Does it also entail
that there exists a "right to react after expression"?

Anupam

On Mon, Nov 1, 2010 at 4:04 PM, Rajkamal Goswami
<rajkamalgoswami at gmail.com>wrote:

> 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
> >>> > > >
> >>> > > >
> >>> > > >
> >>> > > > _________________________________________
> >>> > > > reader-list: an open discussion
> >>> > > > list on media and the city.
> >>> > > > Critiques & Collaborations
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> >>> > > > subscribe in the subject
> >>> > > > header.
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> >>> > >
> >>> > >
> >>> > >
> >>> > >
> >>> > > --
> >>> > > Samvit
> >>> > > > Rawal
> >>> > > 9422037853
> >>> > > -----------------------------------------------------------
> >>> > > T
> >>> > > > o err is human; to forgive, infrequent.
> >>> > >  - Franklin P.
> >>> > > > Adams
> >>> > > _________________________________________
> >>> > > reader-list: an open
> >>> > > > discussion list on media and the city.
> >>> > > Critiques & Collaborations
> >>> > > To
> >>> > > > subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with
> >>> > subscribe
> >>> > > in
> >>> > > > the subject header.
> >>> > > To unsubscribe:
> >>> > > > https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list
> >>> > > List archive:
> >>> > > > <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/>
> >>> > >
> >>> > >
> >>> > >
> >>> >
> >>> >
> >>> > --
> >>> > 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
> >>> > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with
> >>> > subscribe in the subject header.
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> >>> >
> >>> _________________________________________
> >>> reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city.
> >>> Critiques & Collaborations
> >>> To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with
> >>> subscribe in the subject header.
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> >>>
> >>
> >>
> > _________________________________________
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> > Critiques & Collaborations
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>
> --
> Rajkamal
>