Opposition, BJP spar over prosecution sanction against Arundhati Roy
A verbal spat has broken out between the opposition and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after Delhi lieutenant governor VK Saxena gave his nod to prosecute author Arundhati Roy. Saxena approved on Friday to prosecute Roy and former Central University of Kashmir professor Sheikh Showkat Hussain under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for allegedly making provocative speeches at an event in 2010.
Opposition parties condemn prosecution sanction against Roy
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has now reacted to the action against Roy, stating it "defies logic except the fascist kind." Congress leader Hariprasad BK also expressed strong disapproval, criticizing the BJP for allegedly crushing dissent and diverting attention from their failures. Trinamool Congress MP-elect Mahua Moitra echoed these sentiments, asserting that such actions are what Indians voted against.
BJP retorts to opposition's criticism over prosecution sanction
Reacting to the opposition's criticism, the BJP accused Congress of empathizing with "separatist and terrorist organizations." "Why is the Congress ecosystem rattled? First they support & take support from SDPI and now they cry for separatists. Does it not believe Kashmir is integral part of Bharat? From Afzal to Yakub - Congress puts Votebank niti above Rashtra niti ?" BJP leader Shehzad Poonawalla wrote on X.
Details of the FIR against Roy and Hussain emerge
An FIR against Roy and Hussain was first registered based on a complaint by Sushil Pandit, a Kashmiri social activist, in October 2010. According to Raj Niwas, Roy and Hussain allegedly made provocative speeches at a conference organized under the banner of Azadi - The Only Way on October 21, 2010, at LTG Auditorium, Copernicus Marg. An official stated that the issues discussed at the conference propagated the separation of Kashmir from India.
Previous prosecution sanction against Roy and Hussain
In November 2010, the Metropolitan Magistrate Court in New Delhi ordered the registration of the FIR. Subsequently, Saxena approved the prosecution of Roy and Hussain under section 196 of CrPC for offences punishable under various sections of the Indian Penal Code last October. These included promoting enmity between different groups (section 153A), making assertions prejudicial to national integration (section 153B), and making statements leading to public mischief (section 505).
