Activist Arundhati Roy, who created a controversy the other day by questioning Jammu and Kashmir’s accession to the Union, today harped on the same thing saying that the state was never an integral part of India.
Roy was speaking at a seminar on the theme ‘Wither Kashmir: Freedom or enslavement’ organised by Coalition of Civil Societies (CCS) here.
“Kashmir has never been an integral part of India. It is an historical fact. Even the Indian Government has accepted this,” the Booker Prize winner said.
Roy alleged that India became “colonizing power” soon after its independence from British rule.
Kashmiri papers have quoted her as saying: “By describing the pro-freedom leaders in the Valley as separatists, India in a sense has already acknowledged that secession has taken place.”
Roy who has been vociferously advocating the cause of Maoists and Kashmiris minced no words in accusing India of waging war against minorities.
“In Nagaland, the troopers have been targeting Adivasis, in Telangana Dalits and in Punjab, they target Sikhs. India is an upper caste Hindu state that is certainly at war with minorities. It has waged a protracted war in Nagaland and Kashmir to force inclusion of people into its system,” she said.
“Resistance is a beautiful thing. It is high time for Kashmiris to set goals for Azadi and steer the movement,” she said.
“Your struggle has raised the consciousness about Kashmir dispute and the oppression you face. But you must decide what type of society you have in mind once you are allowed to decide your future,” she said.
“Kashmiris will have to make a choice whether or not they want the Indian oppression to be replaced by a future corporate oppression of the local masses,” she said.
Roy stated that Kashmiris recruited in the army and paramilitary forces are being used to suppress the voices of dissent in the Northeast and other states. “I was heart broken when I saw Kashmiri BSF personnel in Dantewada. Mothers in Nagaland recalled their kins who were posted in army and other security agencies. I urge Kashmiris to ensure that they are not used to as tools of suppression,” she said.
Hailing the role of Kashmiri women in the ongoing movement, Roy asked them to contribute to the struggle in one way or the other. “Kashmiris have been breathing and inhaling through the barrel of AK 47.”
Terming India as a prison with many nationalities, Roy said attempts are being made to implement the policy of divide and rule.
“After attaining freedom from the British, India itself has become a colonial power. It has left the legacy of partition in the shape of Kashmir. India opened the locks of two issues including Babri Masjid and tried to give it Islamist colour to act like a victim. The Home Minister, P Chidambaram has been maintaining that he wants to see 80 percent people of India who live in villages to shift to cities. They want to divide and rule. It can only happen with the help of Army,” she said.
One should not have any expectation from a country whose Prime Minister (Dr Manmohan Singh) has not been ever elected,” she said.
She said India has been using the façade of democracy to cover up the rights violations.
Following nation- wide outcry on slanted and highly biased presentation at a convention of Islamist Separatists at Delhi, the tepid Congress Coalition government given to stubborn softness towards antinationals, had caved in under Court Directive and at last the Delhi Police had booked Arundhati RoyArundhati Roy, Hawkish Hurriyat leader Syed AliSyed Ali Geelani under SeditionSedition and various sections of Penal code- ranging from breach of Peace, spread of false statements, and rumour circulated with intent to cause mutiny or offence against public peace.
IPC Section 505, 504 (insult intended to provoke breach of peace), besides 124A (sedition), 153A (promoting enmity between classes), 153B (imputations, assertions prejudicial to national integration).
