Expressing her happiness over the Karnataka Assembly election results, well-known writer and activist Arundhati Roy said she was glad that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was defeated. Speaking at the Yuvadhara Youth Literature Festival in Fort Kochi organised by the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) on Sunday, May 14, Roy also insisted that the BJP must not be given a chance in Kerala. She said that if Kerala gave a chance to BJP, the state would burn down.
“After the Kerala Assembly elections, my sister-in-law sent me an SMS which said BJP equals aanamutta (a big zero). We should always keep this aanamutta [intact] … When I got to know the results of the Karnataka elections, I was so happy that I did not sleep the whole night. I felt Kerala cannot be the only place standing against [BJP],” she said.
The writer, who has always been vocal against the BJP government and Hindutva forces, said she was upset about the way people welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his recent visit to Kerala in April. She also strongly condemned Christian groups in Kerala for associating themselves with the BJP.
“When Narendra Modi came to Kerala, a lot of people gathered and showered flowers on him. It made me very sad. Worst of all, sections of the Christian church were going and meeting him. How is this even possible? Do you know what's going on in Manipur? Do you know what's going on in Chhattisgarh? Do you know what is happening in Jharkhand with Christians? Did you know in the last two years, there have been 300 attacks on Christian churches. How can you even have a conversation with these people?” she asked, addressing Christian groups in Kerala.
Stating that Kerala would burn down if its people gave a chance to BJP, Roy said, “It is like a lit-up match asking firewood to give it a chance. I know that for BJP, Kerala has become an ego issue, but Kerala will burn down if you give BJP a chance,” she said.
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