Ever since union home minister P Chidambaram said that the government would not be a ‘mute spectator’ to the speeches, there has been an expectation that Delhi police would file a few cases against Geelani and Roy.
The Centre continues to search for an appropriate response to speeches by Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Arundhati Roy.
Ever since union home minister P Chidambaram said that the government would not be a ‘mute spectator’ to the speeches, there has been an expectation that Delhi police would file a few cases against Geelani and Roy.
However, Roy queered the pitch some more by saying she pities the country that gags writers for exercising their freedom of speech. This is the reason the government is extremely hesitant to take any step. She has also said there is nothing new in her speech as all Kashmiris have been saying the same thing for quite sometime.
This mood of evasion was evident in Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari’s press conference. “I am not the SHO [station house officer] of Tilak Marg police station. How can I say what sort of case could be made against them? It is for the SHO to find out whether a case can be made against them or not.”
But Congress party leaders are in no doubt there is a substantive difference between Roy’s observations and those made by others.” Everybody talks of ‘azaadi’, but no one has questioned the accession of Kashmir to India. Roy has raised questions over the accession itself,” a senior parliamentarian said.
But the political wisdom of arresting Roy for making a seditious speech is also being questioned.” Why make her a martyr unnecessarily?” another MP argued.
However, inaction is not seen as an option in this situation, and though a case might be registered, no action may is likely against Geelani and Roy.
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