Read all of it: http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?264738

I don’t know how far it is true but I absolutely loved Roy’s style of writing, which also gave the other side of the story thus completing the picture. You need courage to accomplish something like this. When the world has damned the entire Maoist movement viewing their struggle through a peephole, this woman gave voice to the Maoists whose voice heard so far is coloured by blood.

No sooner was the story out, the vultures swooped in to tear her apart. Read the comments, watch her interview with Sagarika Ghose to know what I mean.

What is really surprising is that most people have little interest in the Maoists or the Government. Most of their comments are targeted at the person Arundathi is. What has her mother or father or her family got to do with this? So what if she likes to wear flowers in her hair? And pray, what does Sagarika Ghose mean when she asks Roy how she feels about all the Indians hating Roy and why she doesn’t leave India if she is not happy with the government? Her questions were neither intelligent nor challenging.

Watch it to believe it HERE.

One can only hope that more people stand up and ask for transparency in this war against Maoists before the entire tribal community is wiped out to make room for money machines.

The legal action extended towards Renuka Choudhry for her Talibanisation comments; towards the ladies who sent Muthalik their pink chaddis; the attacks by random men against women in western clothes in Bangalore and the closure of the pub whose owner filed a case against the attackers are nothing more than veiled threats that are trying to teach us a lesson for speaking up against injustice.

Renuka Choudhry was spot on when she said that it was Talibanisation. The Talibans force people to accept the groups own misinterpreted religious beliefs and in the name of culture and religion they suppress human rights, which is exactly what the “moral/culture police” and Hindutva groups are trying to do.

Victimise the victims further while the criminals roam scot free seems to be the agenda as always.

It is funny how these “moral/culture police” ‘s victims are usually women – what they wear, what time they go out, who they go out with, what they do, where they go to….

When the police commissioner Bidari was interviewed about the attacks on women he said that as long as women don’t wear obscene clothes there shouldn’t be a problem! Who defines obscene?

The actions by these “moral/culture police” waves a green flag for sexual offenders, eve-teasers and wife beaters. They can now justify their acts by simply saying that a woman was wearing obscene clothes. Easy Breezy!

Whether a woman is in a saree or a wearing a spaghetti strap top, whether she is at a Bharathnatyam recital or a pub, she will continue to have breasts, a vagina and hips. She will continue to be sexy and gorgeous. It is not culture. It is biology. If all these men can think of is obscene thoughts when they look at a woman in western attire, there is a problem in their head and not in the woman or her clothes.

The Government elected by the people needs to protect citizens irrespective of their religion and the attire they choose to wear. Instead they are condoning these groups who are disrupting society by vandalising shops and beating up people without the least bit of provocation.  How can they preach morals when they don’t know the difference between right or wrong??!!

Ever since the Chief Minister Yediyurappa has come into power all he seems to be interested in is securing his seat as the Chief Minister by performing homas and sitting back while law and order are shattered in the state because these groups are his party’s supporters. Either that or he says it is all a conspiracy to bring down his government.  If that’s the most he can do, he has no business to sit in the Chief Minister’s chair!

Mute spectators – I hate that word.

The day we stand by and look at women and men being beaten up; the day we hesitate to interact with someone because of their religion or caste; the day we stop stepping into pubs because of fear; the day we mute our voices because of the threat insinuated by violence and politics; the day we trade in comfort for Indian outfits only out of fear…is the day when we can say good bye to our human-ness, our morals, our culture and our integrity.

Life evolves, people evolve, culture evolves.

……….Times They Are A Changin………