The perpetual itch to remain in the limelight at any cost seems to be the greatest affliction of people like the Verbal TerroristTM. In yet another ferocious display of guts, Arundhati Roy takes on the might of the Indian state.
In an explosive expression of her views, celebrated Indian writer Arundhati Roy told an audience here that ”India is not a democratic country”. ”The biggest PR myth of all times is that India is a democracy. In reality, it is not,” Roy, the author of The God of Small Things told the 1,000-strong audience at a book reading function she attended along with Eduardo Galeano, one of Latin America’s most distinguished writers.
Her stand is only natural, and it is neither the first nor will it be the last time she will say it. It is really interesting that she speaks so much about democracy while I’m yet to find just one line where she defines what democracy is. If that task is too arduous for her fictional brain, she can at least spell out what her understanding of it is.
Ever since she was put in jail for making bananaish comments on the Indian republic, she’s been careful to choose audience. So here’s the speech to an audience whose knowledge about India, I wager anything, is about as deep as the Dead Sea, so what she says must surely deserve the applause it got. Admirable courage, I should say. It serves two purposes: to vested interests who hate India for whatever reasons, she’s a Celebrity Mudslinger and to herself, well, she makes lots of $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ in return. The Master-Slave relationship balance is finely maintained. From the Guardian link, here’s a glowing tribute:
Although no further action was taken, Roy’s continued criticism of the [Narmada] project and her outspoken views on India’s nuclear tests four years ago have made her a much-hated figure among the Indian right-wing establishment.
I wonder at times, if she has a secret fetish for dictators, tyrants, and generally bloodthirsty people. She is never critical of these regimes, never utters a reprimand against terrorists but most vociferously condemns countries who permit her to parade her barrage of verbal nonsense.
And so, if she feels India is not a democracy, India is saved. She can forthwith relinquish her Indian citizenship and migrate to more democratic pastures like Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, China, or Cuba.
Verbal Terrorist: Trademark for this term rests with Ravikiran, (dis)honourable member of the Evil Cartel for coining this term a few years ago. Unless you haven’t figured it by now, it applies to Arundhati Roy.
8 Comments on “India is not Democratic, Choose Pakistan”
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Hi,
I too blogged on this. Do check it out.
Btw, great post! yes she shud go to Pakistan or SA.
Posted on May 24, 2006 at 1:21 PM.
Writing Cave » India is very much a democracy says:
[...] With Soniajis, Arjun Singhs, Modis, Mulayams, Laloos,Togadias, Shahabuddins, current reservation-related pandemonium and a plethora of other malevolences although India may seem like a circus of democracy, it is still very much a democracy. I slept from 9 PM to 2:30 AM and while having khichri as a very-late-night-and-a-very-early-morning dinner Alka told me that she’d been reading this post at Sandeep’s blog that lambastes Arundhati Roy’s recent diatribe against everything India. The comment in the blog further led me to this post . Now, according to the news report in Indian Express Arundhati Roy says: [...]
Posted on May 28, 2006 at 4:30 AM.
Hi.
My thoughts on the same issue appear here
Posted on May 28, 2006 at 4:36 AM.
New India says:
she should be arrested for anti-India activities. No, better still, let us do a Musharraf on her – declare Arundhati Roy a persona non grata. After that she must be very welcome in Pakistan to live the rest of her life there. Related Link: Sandeeprecommends Ms.Roy Saudi Arabia, China, etc apart from Pakistan.
Posted on May 29, 2006 at 11:38 AM.
Cynical Nerd’s says:
Following Sandeep’stake
Posted on June 1, 2006 at 10:00 PM.
Something like life says:
claims that India is not a democracy. No, it isn’t because India is perfect rather it is because of her ideological compass. One admits that even if after five decades of independence Indian society is far from being based on eqaulity and Justice to all.
Posted on June 5, 2006 at 4:59 PM.
hey guys,
don’t worry… she is a woman of SMALL THINGS.
she wont understand such things as democracy, secularism, greater good etc.
Posted on June 9, 2006 at 6:33 PM.
Perhaps some of you should spend time in the rural areas of India and analyze the ethnography before making ridiculous statements. Arundhati Roy’s message resonates with millions. Instead of criticizing of her views from your glass box, it would do you greater justice to do quite a bit more first-hand research.
Posted on June 15, 2006 at 11:08 PM.