Arundhati Roy to speak on Waqt ki Aahat

Arundhati Roy

In what may mark writer-activist Arundhati Roys return to controversies, the Booker-winning novelist of The God of Small Things is scheduled to address a gathering here on the topic Waqt ki Aahat. Roy, who rose to global fame as the new deity of prose in 1997 after bagging the most prestigious literary honour 'The Booker Prize' for her debut novel will be in conversation with Alok Rai (Professor of literature at the Department of English, Delhi University) on Wednesday.

The discussion is being held to mark the 69th foundation day of Rajkamal Prakashan Samuh, which has published five translations of her books in Hindi and will also be publishing the Hindi translation of her latest book "The Ministry of Utmost Happiness". Speaking to IANS ahead of the event, Roy criticised the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA dispensation on a range of issues, contending that "I don't think the country has ever been in a situation like this".

She said that "there's an ideological preparation to change the constitution" and anticipated that the ruling regime will do "everything they can to re-polarise". "What I truly fear is that there is a sense this year that the tide is changing and there is a panic among the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, so they will do everything they can to re-polarise.

"We are waiting for the Ayodhya judgement from the Supreme Court. Whatever happens, it will be used to tear people apart. No matter what the court says, the verdict is going to be used to tear people apart. "And the timing of the judgement is so vital to the elections that it terrifies me," she added. She also said that "there could be limited war" to suit the election mood.

"They are going to try and cover the noise of communal polarisation this year. I don't know whether they will succeed but that bugle has already been sounded," Roy told IANS in an interview on Monday. The scheduled session on Wednesday will be a no-holds-barred conversation where Roy is expected to speak on all issues. Although vocal in her criticism of the BJP and its ideological parent, the RSS, Roy has, of late, maintained a low-profile and stayed away from controversies.