Taamul

In view of the current physical and psychological assault on Arundhati Roy accusing her of indulging in polemics and anti-nationalism, I would wish to counter-argue that Ms. Roy instead is the perfect sacrificial doll for the sensation-starved print & electronic media of India. In the following passages I try to trace the origins of this fiercely independent and radical writer-activist of India, the first steps into her transformation into a phantom that continue to haunt, bruise and traumatize the political establishment and the fatuous mass-media (print and visual). In the current times, many of  their   sympathizer and well wishers would wonder if  Ms Roy happen to be so unfortunate that she won the booker prize before she started her politics/opinion came to be noticed? Was it her fault or the media's which jumped at the opportunity of publishing a booker winner! One might find this profile of Ms Roy interesting. It was written well before she won the Booker! And that tim

A response to the World Health organisation and UNICEF’s report 'Diarrhoea: Why Children Are Still Dying and What Can Be Done' (2009), which  pointed out that India has the largest number of persons that defecate in the open worldwide. I strongly oppose this westernized view of sanitation & hygiene. Defecating in the open is not just a hygienic issue but a socio-cultural, historical, economic, political & environmental issue. The point of contention being that health is jeopardized due to open-defecation is highly ridiculous. I argue that its failure of the state which is primarily responsible for the poor health rather than the prevalent defecation practices. ·          Many cultures & society across India has age-old tradition of defecating in the open. Most parts where open defecation is practiced are parts with water scarcity & low rainfall. There are many community defecating practices which are of special significance to many, particularl