[Reader-list] Statement by Arundhati Roy

Wed Oct 27 19:03:39 IST 2010

Samvit,
I am not simplifying anything, but unike you I don't believe in frothing at
the mouth everytime I make a statement. Besides, it's subjective whether one
thinks she is pretty or not. And you were the one bringing in her clothes
and her "lack of morals" into this. Before advising others to research, I
have a word of advise for you, please grow up. I have the utmost sympathy
with Kashmiri Pandits, but I also think they have the worst possible
champions, they need better leaders.
On Wed, Oct 27, 2010 at 6:58 PM, Samvit <samvitr at gmail.com> wrote:

> Anuradha,
> Couple of points:-
> 1. Arundati is over the hill, least to say that she is "pretty". You
> are making us believe that in India good looking woman are not
> respected. There are thousands of pretty girls who work all kind of
> time zones and they make us proud. Woman have proved themselves in all
> fields, even outpacing men. So that logic doesn't count.
> 2. It is a typical Gobellian technique to say that she is non-violent.
> She instigates people to all kind of violence. She  hops from city to
> city promoting her vision of an Utopian world.
>
> 2. And yes, you make it sound so simple about the Pandits. If you do
> not know the truth please do not make comments about people who have
> suffered like no Indian ever did. I just pray to God that you never
> have to face what the Pandits have gone thorugh. Imagine a situation
> where you have fanatics banging at you door and hunting for women in
> your family. You are ready to poison them before they fall prey to the
> fanatics. You call the police and you realize that they are siding
> with the zealots. The Indian state is impotent because we have khadi
> clad intellectuals who think helping the Pandits would be non-secular.
> The whole community is uprooted from the Valley while Sonia and Rajiv
> Gandhi are playing with snow en route to Kashmir. You do not even know
> half the story. So I suggest that you do some more research before you
> provide your expertise.
>
> Kashmir and Kashmiri are very complex, the Indian state is too naive
> to handle them.
> -Samvit
>
>
>
> On Wed, Oct 27, 2010 at 6:35 PM, anuradha mukherjee <anu.mukh at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>  > Inder, I think she makes for a soft target because she is a woman, she
> is
> > pretty, speaks her mind in a non-violent manner (without the help of gun
> or
> > crotch grabbing bodyguards). I may disagree with her approach on may
> issues,
> > may be not in essense but the way she articulates herself, but the woman
> is
> > courageous. It takes courage to defy the majority view like this.
> > And she gets attention, so those who berate her also share the limelight.
> > But I also disagree with the people who say "nothing happened, Jagmohan
> > created a bogey, Pandit left on their own", "Muslims wants them back"
> etc.
> > The last statement may or may not be true, but no community gives up its
> > hearths and homes and livelihoods overnight and chooses to live as
> refugees.
> > But the tragedy of Kashmir is that its daily suffering forces it to
> discount
> > the sufferings of its Hindu brothers. If you say Azadi, please do not say
> > that Pandits had it easy either (may be those with resources did).
> >
> >
> > On Wed, Oct 27, 2010 at 5:47 PM, Inder Salim <indersalim at gmail.com>
> wrote:
> >
> >> I guess people in India will read her only after she gets Nobel for
> >> literature.
> >> which she deserves
> >>
> >>
> >> love
> >> is
> >>
> >>
> >> On Wed, Oct 27, 2010 at 3:14 PM, Rajkamal Goswami
> >> <rajkamalgoswami at gmail.com> wrote:
> >> > Dear Aditya
> >> >
> >> > I am sure yo know about her fictional work 1 novel & 1 screenplay. But
> >> > I am not sure if you have read her non-fictional work. Well she didn't
> >> > win booker for them but she won the "Sydney Peace Prize" and the
> >> > "Sahitya Akademi award" which she politely refused. Her body of non
> >> > fiction work is far greater (both in volume and quality) than her
> >> > fictional work. I hope you have read her work. If not please read
> >> > atleast the essential Roy viz "The greater common good", the "Algebra
> >> > of Infinite justice", "Come September", Do Turkeys Enjoy
> >> > Thanksgiving", "Peace is War", "Listening To Grasshoppers", "Shall We
> >> > Leave It to the Experts?" and my favorite  “The Ladies have feelings
> >> > so…”  You should definitely read the last one because it answers your
> >> > query about the very questions that you have raised.
> >> >
> >> > Regarding a fiction writer being political, well all writers are
> >> > political. That some chose to remain silent is also a political
> >> > activity. That Ms. Roy choses to write her politics and throw it open
> >> > to ideas and criticism is the best thing I really like about her.
> >> > Besides she is also indulged in field activism, giving her voice to
> >> > the voiceless and rooting for real democracy.
> >> >
> >> > Thanks
> >> > r
> >> >
> >> > On 10/27/10, Aditya Raj Kaul <kauladityaraj at gmail.com> wrote:
> >> >> Are you the moderator? Just curious again. You indeed have a big
> hand.
> >> >>
> >> >> On Wed, Oct 27, 2010 at 2:31 PM, Tapas Ray [Gmail]
> >> >> <tapasrayx at gmail.com>wrote:
> >> >>
> >> >>> ps: I mean, to Aditya.
> >> >>>
> >> >>> On 27 October 2010 14:30, Tapas Ray [Gmail] <tapasrayx at gmail.com>
> >> wrote:
> >> >>> > Really intelligent comment. Let's give him a big hand!
> >> >>> >
> >> >>> > On 27 October 2010 14:23, Aditya Raj Kaul <
> kauladityaraj at gmail.com>
> >> >>> wrote:
> >> >>> >> Isn't she a Fiction writer? Or is she really a writer? Just
> curious.
> >> >>> >>
> >> >>> >> On Wed, Oct 27, 2010 at 2:01 PM, Rajkamal Goswami <
> >> >>> rajkamalgoswami at gmail.com
> >> >>> >>> wrote:
> >> >>> >>
> >> >>> >>> I am just in awe of this woman.
> >> >>> >>>
> >> >>> >>> On 10/27/10, Tapas Ray [Gmail] <tapasrayx at gmail.com> wrote:
> >> >>> >>> > Pheeta,
> >> >>> >>> >
> >> >>> >>> > No problem, and no need to apologise!
> >> >>> >>> >
> >> >>> >>> > Best,
> >> >>> >>> >
> >> >>> >>> > Tapas
> >> >>> >>> >
> >> >>> >>> > On 27 October 2010 09:07, Pheeta Ram <pheeta.ram at gmail.com>
> >> wrote:
> >> >>> >>> >> Dear Tapas
> >> >>> >>> >> Actually the statement was sent to me by somebody. I forgot
> to
> >> >>> >>> >> check
> >> >>> if
> >> >>> >>> it
> >> >>> >>> >> had already been published online; that's why there was no
> link.
> >> >>> Thanks
> >> >>> >>> >> for
> >> >>> >>> >> reminding me the etiquettes of responsible online publishing.
> >> >>> >>> >> I shall take care next time.
> >> >>> >>> >> Pheeta Ram
> >> >>> >>> >>
> >> >>> >>> >> On Wed, Oct 27, 2010 at 6:42 AM, Tapas Ray [Gmail] <
> >> >>> tapasrayx at gmail.com
> >> >>> >>> >
> >> >>> >>> >> wrote:
> >> >>> >>> >>>
> >> >>> >>> >>> Pheeta,
> >> >>> >>> >>>
> >> >>> >>> >>> Thanks for this. I think it would be good if we gave the
> links
> >> >>> along
> >> >>> >>> >>> with any material from online sources that we might be
> posting.
> >> >>> This
> >> >>> >>> >>> one's is
> >> >>> >>> >>> <
> >> >>> >>>
> >> >>>
> >>
> http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/arundhati-roys-statement-on-possible-sedition-case-62566
> >> >>> >>> >.
> >> >>> >>> >>> As for offline sources (e.g., printed books, etc.), a
> mention
> >> of
> >> >>> the
> >> >>> >>> >>> source, as complete as possible, would be very helpful.
> >> >>> >>> >>>
> >> >>> >>> >>> Thanks again.
> >> >>> >>> >>>
> >> >>> >>> >>> Tapas
> >> >>> >>> >>>
> >> >>> >>> >>>
> >> >>> >>> >>> On 27 October 2010 02:10, Pheeta Ram <pheeta.ram at gmail.com>
> >> wrote:
> >> >>> >>> >>> > STATEMENT BY ARUNDHATI ROY
> >> >>> >>> >>> >
> >> >>> >>> >>> > 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
> >> >>> >>> >>> > _________________________________________
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> city.
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> >> >>> >>> >>> _________________________________________
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> >> >>> >>> >>
> >> >>> >>> > _________________________________________
> >> >>> >>> > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city.
> >> >>> >>> > Critiques & Collaborations
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> >> >>> >>> subscribe
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> >> >>> >>>
>  >> >>> >>> --
> >> >>> >>> Rajkamal
> >> >>> >>> _________________________________________
> >> >>> >>> 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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> >
> >> >>> >>>
> >> >>> >> _________________________________________
> >> >>> >> 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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> >> >>> >
> >> >>> _________________________________________
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> >> >>> 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
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> >> >
> >> >
> >> > --
> >> > Rajkamal
> >> > _________________________________________
> >> > 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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> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> --
> >>
> >> http://indersalim.livejournal.com
> >> _________________________________________
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> > _________________________________________
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> > Critiques & Collaborations
> > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with
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>
>
>  --
> Samvit Rawal
> 9422037853
> -----------------------------------------------------------
> To err is human; to forgive, infrequent.
>   - Franklin P. Adams
>