Arundhati Roy's War Talk-Democracy(Chapter-3)-over view

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Roy begins this chapter in harsh tone that “right now people sipping from the poisoned chalice- a flawed democracy laced with religious fascism”. Roy use this reference laced with religious fascism to discus regarding the Sabarman Express incident and consequences. Roy’s friend from Baroda called her at late night and said how her friend Sayeeda caught by mob and how her stomach had been ripped open and stuffed with burning rags. After she dies someone carved “om” on her head.

Indian PrimeMinister, A.B.Vajpayee, also justified this as part of the retaliation by outraged Hindus against Muslim “terrorists” who burned alive fifty eight (58) Hindu passengers on the Sabarmati Express in Godhra. The two sides try & call attention to the religious difference by slaughtering each others. They workship at the same altar and both apostles of the same murderous god.

Godhra outrage, planned program was unleashed against the Muslim community. It was led by the Hindu nationalist (Vishwa Hindu Parishad & Bajrang Dal). It is officially informed that 800 people dead due to this but un official report said it is more than 2000. Moreover one hundred and fifty thousand people driven from their home and live in refuge camp. Women were stripped, gang raped, parents were bludgeoned to death in front of their children. Everywhere in country filled blood sheet. Roy mocked these two incidents by question which Hindu scripture preaches this? And which particular verse in the Koran required that they be roasted alive? This situation is like people in India, sipping from a poisoned chalice.

After this outrages, the Muslim business have been shut down, Muslim people are not served in restaurants. Muslim children are not welcome in schools. Muslim parents tell their children not to call them ‘Ammi’ or ‘Abba’ in public because it invite them sudden and violent death. Sabarmati express in Godhra with the same degree of outrage with which condemn the killings in the rest of Gujarat.  People did not know what exactly happen to Godhra Express whether it is political or religious. According to Government progrom against the Muslim community in Gujarat is Spontaneous reaction.

The Chief Minister of Gujarat, Modi resign from his post after attending the meeting of the nation executive of the BJP in Goa. Afterthat in public speech he compared the events of the last few weeks in Gujarat to Gandhi’s Dandi March-both according to him struggle for freedom. This situation made Roy to think contemporary India and pre-war Germany are equal. It is not surprising her because RSS frank in their admiration for Hitler and his methods. Only difference is instead of Hitler India have mobile symphonic orchestra.

India have pogroms before every kind of pogrom which directly at particular castes, tribes, religious faiths. In 1984, Following the assassination of Indira Gandhi, the Congress party presided over the massacre of three thousand (3000) Sikhs in Delhi. In every case, the congress sowed the seed and BJP has swept into reap the hideous harvest. Both parties has only one difference that Congress sinned and grieve at night but BJP does at day with pride.

Bal Thackeray of Shiv Sena, who gave upstaged by Modi has the lasting solution. He called people for civil war. This made Roy more anger so she said then “pakistan won’t need to bomb us, we can bomb ourselves. Let’s turn all of India into Kashmir”. This only benefit British & America arms dealers. Finally she concludes this chapter by saying, unless we join hands, nothing we can do for this injustice and inequality.

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