By Avijit Ghosh
New Delhi, Apr 24 : Any attempt to prosecute Arundhati Roy for an article she wrote on Maoists would confirm the government's determination to choke off dissenting voices from coming out from the south Chhattisgarh theatre of 'war', say leading activists.
"Whether or not one agrees with the writer, a country which prides itself as a democracy must allow the free and honest expression of such views," says the public statement, condemning Chattisgarh police's threatened action against writer-activist Roy whose essay "Walking with the Comrades" was published in a national newsmagazine recently.
The 36 signatories include activist Aruna Roy, advocate Prashant Bhushan, economist Jean Drez, former navy chief R H Tahiliani, RTI activist Arvind Kejriwal, environmentalist Vandana Shiva among others.
For her 'insider' account of days spent with Maoist groups in Dantewada district, the DGP Chattisgarh apparently received a complaint which he referred to the law department to see whether the writer can be booked under Chattisgarh Special Public Security Act.
"When a complaint is as absurd, should it not be rejected outright?" questions senior advocate Prashant Bhushan adding that the fact that they're even considering such an action shows how unwilling the State is to consider any other point of view. "Instead of trying to understand these people, who they are, you just show you want to go in and kill them."
A large number of people support Roy, says activist-advocate Colin Gonsalves - also a signatory -- because the possible police action is seen as a an attempt to stifle voice of dissent; dissent from the government's point of view. "The government gets rattled when an alternate point of view is articulated intellectually. Roy has been able to articulate that point of collective self-defense: that when poor people are attacked with guns, they do have a right to defend themselves. Usually, human rights activists are pushed on the back-foot on that point, but Roy articulated it well."
The statement says, "It is important for the people to be as well informed as possible about the phenomenon of Maoism and how it has arisen so that a properly informed decision can be taken about how to deal with its challenges.... in a holistic and sensitive manner."
To that end, the attempt towards action against Roy smacks of fascism. "Criminalising this kind of writing is a clear sign of fascism," says Bhushan.
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