Arundhati Roy, the esteemed author who clinched the Booker Prize, now finds herself facing potential prosecution in India due to a speech she delivered 13 years ago on the topic of India-Occupied Kashmir. This legal action has been set in motion following the approval of a high-ranking official, as reported by local media on Wednesday.
The catalyst for this legal predicament was a complaint filed in 2010 by a "social activist" hailing from India-Occupied Kashmir. The complaint was lodged in response to speeches given by Arundhati Roy and three other individuals during a conference organized by a human rights group.
Arundhati Roy, known for her staunch criticism of India's policies in Occupied Kashmir, is accused of making statements at the conference suggesting that the disputed Himalayan region is not an integral part of India—a statement she asserts to be a truth.
In accordance with Indian laws, the prosecution of specific offenses, including hate speech, sedition, and promoting enmity, requires permission from the state government. In this case, Vinai Kumar Saxena, the federally-appointed lieutenant-governor (LG), has granted Delhi Police the authority to prosecute both Arundhati Roy and Professor Sheikh Showkat Hussain from the Central University of Kashmir. The charges brought against them relate to promoting enmity, making assertions prejudicial to national integration, and causing public mischief, according to the reports.
It's worth noting that one of the professors and a hardline Kashmiri leader mentioned in the complaint have passed away in the intervening years.
Curiously, the reports do not elucidate the reasons behind Saxena's decision to authorize the prosecution after such a substantial lapse of time. Despite requests for comment, his office remained unresponsive to calls and emails from Reuters.
Arundhati Roy, aged 61, secured the Booker Prize for fiction in 1997 and is renowned for her role as a vocal political and human rights activist. She is a regular contributor to publications in both India and abroad. As of now, there has been no official response from her regarding these developments, and attempts to reach her for comment have been unsuccessful.