“She is a heroine for me, for what she has gone through,” said Arundhati Roy, who visited the rape survivor from Suryanelli at her present home near here on Monday. The Booker Prize winning writer-activist, who went there along with Elizabeth Philip of the women's activist group Sahaja, had a long conversation with the victim and her parents.
Suryanelli, near Munnar, is in Idukki district; about six years ago the victim and her familiy sold their homestead there and moved near here.
Speaking to mediapersons waiting outside, Arundhati Roy drew a distinction between the societal response to the recent Delhi gang rape incident, and Kerala’s general response to the “Suryanelli case.”
“Those who had done what they have to her are criminals and they should be tried for their shameful act. That is the legal aspect. However, equally shameful is that society, including many of the relatives of the girl, ostracised her, forcing her and the family to remain in the confines of the house,” she said. The victim should be a heroine for all, for what she had gone through.
Referring to the remarks made by Congress Member of Parliament K. Sudhakaran about the girl, Ms. Roy said they should be tried for criminal defamation. “He should step down,” Arundhati Roy said when asked about Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman P.J. Kurien, whose name is mired in the long-running controversy that recently came to the fore again.
Ms. Roy, who spent nearly an hour with the girl inquiring about her life before and after the incident, tried to motivate her. “I want her to write a book about her experience and the life she and her family have gone through the past 17 years,” she told mediapersons.
According to the girl’s mother, Ms. Roy’s visit was so inspiring. “At a time when all those around us are out with their daggers drawn against us, every soothing word counts,” she said. “Ms. Roy wanted her to come out from her seclusion. What have you got to lose now,” she asked her and told her to be bold, the mother said. “She also told my child that she should write a book about herself,” the mother said.
Keywords: Suryanelli gangrape, Arundhati Roy, P.J. Kurien
Among all other comments that this visit may evoke, the truth is her visit would be a soothing one for suryanelli's family. Its good that Roy has visited her.
In the Delhi rape case. age was given legality and the accused who
played a leading role in giving maximum pain to the girl was not
treated as an adult. Here in the Suryanelli case, Justice Basant
referring to her as a prostitute is legally wrong. She could be
called only as a juvenile delinquent, if at all she had erred. No
wonder the Supreme Court was "shocked' at the judgment. If she were a
prostitute, she would have earned enough money for a comfortable
living. But she was dumped in the Muvattupuzha bus stand with a 100
rupee note. It is gratifying that Arundati has taken up her case.
Ms Roy! do what your heart dictates.It's really heartening that you met the girl , gave her hope .
To shankar & Ramachandra your comments are not in good taste, After all Ms Roy has not taken a contract to address everything!
It was an appreciating act by Ms. Roy. In a society where being a women attracts so many threats and curse,Ms. Roy's move to encourage and empathise with the victim seems much in need.
It might bring a positive psychic transformation for the depressed and threatened victim.
Kudos to ms. Roy!!!
Isn't it kind of hypocritical for a famous author to suggest someone write a book about their horrendous experience? If such a book goes on to become a bestseller, does it remove any of the victim's misery? What is this repulsive fashion of calling a victim a "heroine" or "hero"? What heroic act is this victim to be celebrated for?
Visiting such people, giving them encouragement and helping them be positive is one thing, but why succumb to meaningless rituals?
Well done Ms. Roy. The quality of a woman, standing out strongly and distinctly to issue is the only solution for this.
What the rapists ( who would prefer to be called "alleged customers") did was a crime, no doubt. What society did was even worse. Our assaults on the victim's psyche were much more vicious than those she was subjected to during her abduction. But this is nothing new. Rape derives its power from society, and "civil society" obliges. Kerala with its 100% literacy rate has not been able to convert that into any sort of education. And the esteemed Member of Parliament comes out with a series of statements against a lowly Class IV worker, accusing her of financial misappropriation in the very last one (forgetting the glass house, aren't we) trying to do a better job than the defence lawyers normally do in a rape case. And then we demand the death penalty for rapists! After the 2001 earthquake in Gujarat, the cops charged builders in Ahmedabad under Section 302. The public was happy, the builders were happier as the charges deflected public anger and would never be proved. Same story here.
arundhati roy will do better if she goes to mumbai and tries to help
those girls who are forced in to prostitution. She should stop trying to
rejoice at publicity derived from the misery of others like this
suryanelli girl. The girl needs help and she may not be a great writer
to win a booker prize. Give her help which needs and deserves than to
talk about irrlevant things and trying for inglorious fame.
Where was Arundhati Roy all these years? Nothing against the victim
though. Its just that now many players are coming in for their own game.
Please Email the Editor