Jammu, Nov 22: Three Kashmiri Pandit migrants have approached the Jammu and Kashmir High Court seeking initiation of criminal proceedings against noted civil rights activist Arundhati Roy, for terming Kashmir as “most bloody occupations in the world” in a recently held seminar at New York.
In a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed before Jammu wing of state High Court, the petitioners, Vijay Kumar Kashkari, Ajay Kumar Bhat and Vir Ji Saraf, have sought direction to Secretary Ministry of Home Affairs New-Delhi, Secretary Ministry of External Affairs New Delhi and Commissioner/ Secretary Home Department Jammu and Kashmir to initiate criminal proceedings against Arundhati Roy “for the criminal offences committed by her while commenting upon the Kashmir and other States of the country”.
The petitioner also sought direction to the Secretary Ministry of External Affairs New Delhi to revoke the passport of Arundhati Roy.
“There are certain elements within the country that are hell bent upon creating disturbances in Jammu and Kashmir for their vested interests”, the petitioner contended adding, “In pursuance of their vested interests and hidden agenda, they have chosen to systematically malign the image of the country while making speeches outside the country, by distorting the historical facts and by misleading the international  community”.
“Arundhati Roy is guilty of commission of the offence of sedition. She has also made her liable to be punished under 153- A section 505 of the IPC and RPC”, they argued.
Arundhati Roy had alleged that Kashmir has been one of the most bloody occupations in the world during a discussion on the seminar 'Kashmir: The Case for Freedom' at Asia Society in New York.
"Kashmir is one of the most protracted and bloody occupations in the world and one of most ignored. While India brutalises Kashmir in so many ways, that occupation brutalises the Indians," she had allegedly said.
"I think that the people of Kashmir have the right to self-determination. They have the right to choose who they want to be, and how they want to be," she had said.

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