The National Conference (NC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have voiced their strong disapproval of the prosecution sanction against author Arundhati Roy and former Central University of Kashmir professor Sheikh Showkat Hussain under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for their speeches at an event in Delhi in 2010.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the FIR against Roy and Hussain was registered following the orders of the Court of Metropolitan Magistrate, New Delhi.
The National Conference highlighted the importance of upholding the fundamental right to free speech as guaranteed by Article 19 of the Constitution. “The NC expresses its strong disapproval of the prosecution of author Arundhati Roy and Dr Sheikh Showkat Hussain under the UAPA. The use of draconian laws to suppress dissent and criminalize speech is deeply concerning,” the party said in a post on X.
The NC also said that there was a significant delay in granting permission for prosecution, pointing out that it has been 14 years since the alleged speech took place. “In the intervening years, the speech has been all but forgotten and didn’t vitiate the atmosphere in J&K,” the NC said.
The party argued that this prosecution serves no purpose other than to demonstrate that the “hard line stance of the BJP/Indian government won’t change despite the electoral setback they recently faced.”—KMS
