Question

Apart from being an author, Arundhati Roy is also known for her work as a:

• A. Painter
• B. Activist
• C. Scientist
• D. Historian

Answer 1

Answer:

B. Activist

• Her political writings criticize fascism, social injustice, and globalization, among other issues.

• They are informed by her ground-level involvement in protests, including those against the Narmada River dam project and the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) of 2019.

• CAA allows undocumented Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi, and Christian migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan who entered India on or before December 31, 2014, to apply for Indian citizenship, thereby providing a pathway to citizenship based on religion.

• The legislation made no such provisions for Muslim migrants from these areas and has therefore been criticized from many quarters as going against the basic nature of the Indian constitution. Roy has faced legal challenges, including imprisonment and charges of sedition and contempt of court for her activism.

• Nevertheless, her commitment to the aforementioned causes has sustained a spirit of revolution within the Indian political landscape.

• Roy is also known for her unwavering stance against government policies she considers oppressive, particularly in India. Her activism has sparked debates and controversies, making her a polarizing yet influential figure on the global stage.

• Roy’s father, Rajib Roy, was a Hindu Bengali tea estate manager, and her mother, Mary Roy, was a Christian from Kerala. She was an educator and a human rights activist.