Booker Prize winning author Arundhati Roy has once again lashed out at Indian democracy, such as we know it. This time on Indian soil.
Democracy in India is “only for the rich and the elite”, she said in New Delhi yesterday, and accused the Government of not lending an ear to mass movements in the country.
“The concept of Indian democracy is the biggest publicity scam of this century. Holding elections every five years does not necessarily mean that our country enjoys a democracy,” she said, and termed the widely accepted concept in Europe and the United States that India was the largest democracy in the Third World as a “misconception.”
Also see: India is not a democracy
churumuri 
If there is one writer who earns (publicity as well as money) by talking ill of this country, it is Arundhati Roy.
What is her great contribution to the society other than writing some books (and earning money for her own good). I dont think we are greatly benefitted by such books, for that matter any of her articles for magazines of OUTLOOK kind.
She is just a creation of Media Hype and she is still riding on such hypes. Unfortunately God (has created people) Of (her kind who are really) Small (but claim taller to earn some) Things!!
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Indian Democracy is a bit of Lottery and a bit of naked caste war and a lot of money and liquor. With a multi party elections and any number of Independent thrown in we cannot call it as Democracy. In a system with first past the post as winner and the recent trend of post elections alignments bereft of any political righteousness, it certainly is a mockery.
May for a change Ms. Roy is on the right side of Truth.
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Arundhati Roy is an hysterical old cow that has a rudimentary grasp of the issues. She writes well, but , alas her ability to formulate well reasoned arguments is non-existent. She substitutes emotion for logic, which invariably ends up sounding funny.
Charvaka
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anarchy is a romantic idea. romanticism is an outcome of sufficiency brimming to excess.
just how much attention does she crave?
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Nangeno Namma Deshadha Democracy bagge Nijwaglu sandeha
I mean we vote ..elect ..again elections again Vote..have pride in Voting
None of our elected officilas are accountable ..none of ministers are accountable..None of Big Corporates who KhoLLE hodi our country accountable.
The FILM Rangde basanti aptly highlights these issues.
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i have not seen RDB.
but from what i have heard, it’s just plain irresponsible idealism. end justifying means and all that.
vonde ativrushti illa anaavrushti.
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Why can’t we all stop talking and just do something about all this?
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Did anyone read yesterday’s SOM ? Mr. Ganapathy raves about Ms. Roy in his “editorial”. At no point does he mention “why” he is impressed by her. He just thinks that we need people like her.
At one point when I watched Arundhati Roy on C-SPAN, I was quite impressed with her Bush bashing. I was over awed by the fact that she cared so much for the common Iraqi folk. She was extremely articulate. Gifted, period.
Now, her way of dealing things makes me sick. She does the same things, talks the same nonsense and tries to get mileage out of blasting India at any given opportunity. That’s how she makes money, that’s how she makes name. If at all she was the CEO of a corporation, she would have been so damn successful.
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Well The wide swathe cut by the naxalite movement, the utter sense of lawlessness in UP and Bihar, insurgency in the North-East, unrest in J and K, Telangana seperation movement- elements indeed strong elements of civil war- It isnt that there are two groups at war but sosciety is certainlt getting fragmented into belligerent groups. Sad thing is all the media power is with people who have tunnel vision / are in Europe /north America or both. There is no creativity- well it is the dance of Nataraja I should think. The forces of destruction are unleashed-
nataraajanangaanga kuluki balukalu vishwa ghatadhali jeeva chalisuvudhu ( I hope those who know Kannda recognise DVG there)
Perfect democracy is certainly a Utopian concept- but to say that we are far ahead of some other countries is Hubris and worse laughable,
batthini
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This is not something new, it is characteristic of Arundhati – blame everything and anything connected to India. True that she is just a hype, she should be shown her place. If she does not like Indian democracy fine, but what has been her contribution to set it right?
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Arundhathi does not realize that so called democracy in US is also quite flawed: a person (sorry… a dummy) with lower number of votes got elected not so long ago and has been a pain in the neck for the whole world.
There is no ‘perfect’ democracy anywhere in the world.
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She has everyright to condemn,but look at US they got independence in the late 1700’s and yet it took them almost 200 years (1960’s) for the blacks to cast their votes.Isn’t the west still run by the white people and bible thumpers,compared to that India is far better at least in the name of political mudslinging,votes,minorities are being given the top posts.
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“Democracy is a bad system but what is a better alternative.None” Churchill.
I agree to the above..but i tend to agree to Roy …Has democracy really taken root in India?With the increasing crimilisation in politics you sometimes wonder..Democracy is supposed to be.. of the people,by the people and for the people…Is it really is in India ..By people I am talking of the poorest of the poor (2/3 of our country) not the elite and the educated as Roy is pointing out..
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Arundhati who? The one who violated forest law by building a house in the protected forest land?
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>>accused the Government of not lending an ear to mass movements in the country
Why doesn’t she directly say Naxalite/Maoist movement instead “mass movement”. And she does not let go a chance to lash out at India which has given her the freedom to support these “mass movements”.
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The manner in which election is conducting in India is totally wrong. There is no transparency in election. If our democracy really representing the majority of people, then there need a major electoral reform, then only honest and deserving people come to power. Election should conduct in entire country in 1 day (politican, bureaucracy & vested differ) from morning 7.00 a.m. to 7 p.m. and the same day should be declared. If anybody wish to caste their openly, they should be allowed. EVMs should be banned as there is lots of manipulation going on. Even in ballot boxes it should be connected with internet and videographed and provide with CCTV connection which should be fully recorded. And also negative voting and right to recall any time should be implemented. Bureaucrats not allowed to conduct election and local panchayat with eminent people from non-political background oversee the election. Due to bureaucracys power, politician fear bureaucracy because they can defeat them. That is why every five years before election, major sops promised in favour of bureaucrats. Then people of India won ‘half freedom’ If such a electoral reform implemented, then we can ‘atleast’ say we are representing a democracy. Unless and until this is not implemented, even after thousand of years, nothing going to change, to problem going to increase and the rulers in power enslave the citizen as their bonded labours. Once British PM Churchil said before the so called Indian independence -why you need freedom first. If you get freedom from Britishers, people like criminals, bastards and other mafia going to capture power and going to charge you everything even like water, air and anything and everything. We are witnessing the same today’s as we lost freedom and access to our basic natural resources. Today everything and anything is controlled by either state (govt.) or corporate (companies). Now we became an educated (literate) slave of the state and corporate companies, where our legitimate right is taken away and virtually controlling us. now we people of India caught in the web of ‘legal and illegal’ business of the govt. You pay, pay and more pay, the govt. and corporates green never end. We are just a tax paying slave.
She is right in saying that India is a banana republic. If any want real democracy, start asking the above electoral reform. Why there is so much secrecy required in govt. functioning?
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