Indian author Arundhati Roy to face prosecution for controversial Kashmir comments

Indian authorities are set to prosecute author Arundhati Roy over comments she made about Kashmir in 2010. Roy, a vocal critic of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government, faces legal action for stating that Kashmir is not an "integral" part of India. The lieutenant governor for Delhi, VK Saxena, approved the prosecution under anti-terror laws, along with a former university professor from Kashmir, Sheikh Showkat Hussain. Roy's activism against laws targeting minorities and press freedoms has made her a polarizing figure in India. The decision to prosecute Roy has been criticized by opposition parties and rights groups, who view it as an attempt to suppress free speech and silence government critics. The charges against Roy stem from a panel discussion in 2010 where she advocated for the secession of Kashmir from India, sparking protests and controversy. Critics argue that the prosecution under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act is unconstitutional and undemocratic, and part of a broader pattern of targeting activists and dissenting voices in India.