We’re Glad Arundhati Roy Has Spoken At The Anti-CAA Protests. But Her Impassioned Speech Is A Little Irresponsible
I am the kind of person that respects anyone who is speaking up and taking a stand, way more than anyone who chooses to sit in silence. For me, having a voice and the spine to make it heard is one of our biggest assets, and for anyone who isn’t using it for the right cause or at all for that matter, is using it against it. Which is perhaps why, at present when the political fabric of our country stands stretched out, when influential people are speaking up about the protests and the political instability that this is causing, we are all in support of them. As we were when the famous writer and political activist Arundhati Roy decided to share her two cents over the CAA protests, up until we realised how she may have missed out on talking about a lot while at it.
Known to have written books that have moved people and won her the Man Booker Prize, Arundhati Roy is a big name in the community, especially amongst those who are willing to hear voice of reason at this point. So naturally, for a lot of us, her words come already validated, she’s the voice of the well-read, well-heeled public and when she speaks about the divided situation of the country, people will listen. Actively commentating on the political abyss, Arundhati Roy has made strong statements like, “India is standing up. This government stands exposed and discredited. This is a day when love and solidarity face down bigotry and facism.”
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Continuing to this, the learned author said, ““Everybody has joined in to protest against the unconstitutional CAB and NRC. We are Dalits, Muslims, Hindus, Christians, Sikhs, Adivasis, Marxists, Ambedkarites, farmers, workers, academics, writers, poets, painters and most of all students who are the future of this country. This time you will not stop us,” and her belief and will to stand up to the system was well communicated through her powerful words.
These were great words and she should know that when she says something, it has the power to move people. Which is why when using such inflammatory language, perhaps she should have considered the hot-blooded crowd she’s speaking to and mentioned the need to be non-violent.
Need a planned civil disobedience movement to fight the attack on the Constitution and #CAA_NRC says #ArundhatiRoy https://t.co/OFctvvQcd7
— Sagarika Ghose (@sagarikaghose) December 26, 2019
What started out as peaceful dissent has undoubtedly been met with not just passive aggressive words, but very violent counter-actions from both sides, and that needs to stop. And that is exactly what was lacking from Arundhati Roy’s statements when she set out to put her word out there. Yes, there is an urgent need to hold your ground and express your anger, but it is important in these tumultuous times that every influential person mention, very strongly, the need to not resort to violence. Even a cursory glance or listen will tell you her words are rousing. And while it seems extremely charged up and patriotic in theory, there are people losing their lives and you’re not there with them. So yes, it’s all great to express dissent but the need of the hour is to also insist that the protests remain calm and peaceful.
And if that wasn’t enough, Roy also recently went ahead and appealed to Indians saying, “They will visit your homes, take your name, phone number and ask for documents like Aadhaar and driving licences. The NPR will become database of NRC. We need to fight against it and have a plan. When they visit your home for NPR, and ask for your name give them some different name…For address say 7 RCR. A lot of subversion will be needed, we are not born to face lathis and bullets.”
https://twitter.com/gunjakapoor/status/1210084662908870656
Not only is Arundhati Roy smoking good weed, she is also consuming the meat of an animal grazing on even better weed.
My views on Arundhati's call to anarchy, on @TimesNow with @RShivshankar.#LutyensSabotageNPRPlot pic.twitter.com/fToKWbMepQ
— Anand Ranganathan (@ARanganathan72) December 25, 2019
Receiving flak from a lot of people including columnist Anand Ranganathan, she was condemned for suggesting that people lie. Anand wrote, “Arundhati Roy takes stupidity and illogic to such extreme levels, it can safely be assumed that not only is she consuming good weed, she is also consuming meat of an animal grazing on even better weed.”
