Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena has given the green light to prosecute author Arundhati Roy under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) for a speech she delivered at an event in 2010. This decision, reported by PTI through Raj Niwas officials, also includes former Central University of Kashmir professor Dr. Sheikh Showkat Hussain.
According to the Raj Niwas official, Saxena sanctioned the prosecution of Roy and Hussain under Section 45(1) of the UAPA. This move follows a similar sanction last October when Saxena approved their prosecution under Section 196 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) for various offences under the Indian Penal Code.
The speech in question reportedly discussed the separation of Kashmir from India, a topic that has been highly controversial. The event also featured speeches from late Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani, SAR Geelani, and Varavara Rao. Activist Sushil Pandit, the complainant, filed a complaint leading to an FIR and subsequent investigation. Pandit alleged that Roy and others at the conference asserted that Kashmir was never part of India and called for its independence from Indian rule.
Arundhati Roy has been known for her outspoken criticism of the Modi government on numerous issues.
