Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], June 15 (ANI): Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi on Saturday condemned Arundhati Roy's statement on Jammu and Kashmir, adding whatever Arundhati Roy has said is totally wrong and Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India.
Chaturvedi questioned the timing of the Modi government's prosecution of Arundhati Roy under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, given that the matter is from 2010 and Modi's government has been in power for the last 10 years.
"Whatever she (Arundhati Roy) has said is totally wrong. Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India. We will protest if anyone wants to create a gap. But, the question is that this matter is from 2010 and it's Modi's govt at the centre for the last 10 years, why they were silent till now on this issue? After 10 years, when a govt with less majority has formed, this decision looks political," Chaturvedi told ANI.
Delhi LG, VK Saxena, has sanctioned the prosecution of Arundhati Roy and former Professor of International Law at the Central University of Kashmir, Dr Sheikh Showkat Hussain for allegedly making provocative speeches at a conference organised under the banner of "Azadi - The Only Way" on October 21, 2010 at LTG Auditorium, Copernicus Marg, New Delhi.
The LG sanctioned the prosecution of Arundhati Roy and Sheikh Showkat Hussain under IPC Section 45 (1) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
The FIR in the matter was registered on a complaint made by Sushil Pandit on October 28, 2010.
Earlier, the LG had granted sanction under IPC Section 196 to prosecute the above accused for the commission of offences punishable under Sections 153A, 153B and 505 of the IPC in October 2023.
Roy and Hussain had allegedly made provocative speeches at a conference organised under the banner of "Azadi - The Only Way" on October 21, 2010 at LTG Auditorium, Copernicus Marg, New Delhi. The issues discussed and spoken about at the conference propagated the "separation of Kashmir from India."
Those who delivered speeches at the conference included Syed Ali Shah Geelani, SAR Geelani (anchor of the conference and prime accused in the Parliament attack case), Arundhati Roy, Dr Sheikh Showkat Hussain and Maoist sympathiser Vara Vara Rao.
It was alleged that Geelani and Arundhati Roy strongly propagated that Kashmir was never part of India and was forcibly occupied by the Armed Forces of India and every possible effort should be made for the independence of the J-K from India and recordings of the same were provided by the complainant.
The complainant filed a complaint under Section 156(3) of CrPC before the MM Court, New Delhi, which disposed of the complaint vide order dated November 27, 2010, with the directions to register an FIR. Accordingly, an FIR was registered and an investigation was carried out. (ANI)
