Arundhati Roy controversially described the 1961 liberation of Goa as an “upper-caste Hindu state waging war against Christians”.
Roy expanded her criticism by claiming India waged war against various regions and communities, alleging systematic oppression of minorities without fact-based analysis.
Roy has a history of provocative activism, notably facing legal action for her remarks on Kashmir.
Once again, renowned author and activist Arundhati Roy has placed herself at the centre of controversy by making a series of provocative remarks about India’s past actions. She recently criticized the 1961 liberation of Goa, arguing it to be “upper-caste Hindu state waging war against Christians” and not a patriotic liberation from then colonial rule. . Historians, politicians and the general public sharply criticized her notion as she challenges the widely accepted narrative of Goa’s integration into India.
Roy further added “India has waged war against Kashmir, Manipur, Nagaland, Mizoram, Telangana, Punjab, Goa and Hyderabad.” She even compared India to Pakistan saying that even Pakistan does not deploy its army against its own people the way a democratic Indian state has. The statement was heavily criticized saying that she is ignorant to complex political realities that shaped these conflicts by overly generalizing them.
She alleged that India, as a state, has chosen to fight the tribals of the North-East and Telangana, Muslims of Kashmir and Hyderabad, Christians of Goa, and Sikhs of Punjab. Roy’s attempt to reduce decades of conflict and political integration into a simple fight against oppression based on caste and religion has attracted criticism from historians and political analysts.
Suzanna Arundhati Roy was born on 24th November, 1961 to a Syrian Christian educationist and women’s right activist Mary Roy and a Bengali Hindu tea plantation manager Rajib Roy denoting a complex personal background. She is notably a cousin of Prannoy Roy, a journalist and co-founder of the India news network NDTV though they diverge greatly on their political philosophies.
She rose to fame with her Booker Prize-winning novel, The God of Small Things (1997) that narrated her personal story and explored the social taboos in Kerala. However, she quickly transformed herself into a vocal and contentious political activist, moving away from fiction. She has faced multiple legal and public conflicts with the Indian establishment owing to her stance regarding Kashmir and nuclear policies.
Her actions and words have repeatedly crossed into controversial areas. One such matter occurred in 2010 when she faced legal action for her remarks saying “Kashmir was never an integral part of India”. Indian officials claimed that her remarks incited unrest despite her having international support. The government even added several of her books to the list of banned books, accusing them of promoting “false narratives and secessionism” in August 2025.
Roy has repeatedly drawn resentment from political leaders and the public for linking Indian state action to oppression. Critics have denounced her generalizations to be sabotaging legitimate discussions about democracy, minority rights and governance.
The latest remarks on the 1961 liberation of Goa serve as a continuation of Roy’s provocative speech pattern. She reportedly frames India’s historical actions as a systematic assault on religious and tribal minorities.
Her cryptic remarks have attracted a wave of public criticism, especially from Right wing commentators. Writer and defence expert Abhijit Ayer Mitra condemned her words, saying, “Odd days ‘decolonisation’, even days ‘Brahmin patriarchal war’. There’s no winning with these clowns.” Right-wing commentator Anand Raghunathan shared her video with the biting caption, “When irresistible weed meets immovable hallucination,” where many people questioned her knowledge of geopolitics as well as her mental stability.
One user sarcastically added “What’s next? Claiming that India never included the Himalayas?”, showcasing how bizarre her statements’ sound to the people in general. Some even pointed out the irony of her repeatedly labelling India as a horrible and hateful place to live in, while continuing to live here safely and comfortably. [Rh/SY]
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