Arundhati Roy’s photo on anti-Maoist banners in UP triggers protests

VARANASI: Cops of Maoist affected Sonbhadra district have stirred up a hornet’s nest by using a photo supposedly of a Naxalite group in which noted writer and activist Arundhati Roy is sitting with them, in their hoardings which warn people against ‘falling into the red trap’. Even as rights groups have raised the issue on various forums, Sonbharda cops denied using Ray’s image for publicity material.
It appears that the agency preparing the hoardings sourced the pictures from the net which was published by a newsmagazine for which Roy did a cover story on Naxalites. They were unaware that the woman sitting in one of the pictures was the Man Booker winner. However, when the hoardings appeared on Sonbhadra streets cautioning people with the slogan “Naxaliyon ke bahkawe mein naa aayein, yojnaon ka laabh uthayein” (Don’t get carried away by Naxalites, get the benefit of government schemes), there was a outspread outrage. The picture of hoardings went viral on the social media.
Sonbhadra police chief however denies that woman on the hoarding is Roy. “I have made it clear that the woman shown in police posters is not Arundhati Roy,” SP Shiv Shankar Yadav told TOI. “If people are not ready to accept our clarification they should consider that the woman referred to as Arundhati is shown convincing the misguided youths to return to mainstream,” he added.
The Sonebhadra SP said that police use many fictitious characters and also real ones after seeking their consent in publicity materials. Yadav said that though the designs of publicity materials were given to local printers and advertising agencies three years back, print orders were not given. “I ordered for the printing of publicity materials for a noble cause. No objectionable comment or remark has been made against anyone in any poster,” he added.
IG (Varanasi zone) Amarendra Kumar Sengar said, “The theme of posters was sent by the ministry of home affairs. However, we were given the liberty to prepare the theme of publicity material to spread positive message among the masses.” He denied any comment on the posters displayed in Sonebhadra saying he had not seen them and defended his subordinates. “Our purpose is to make the public especially youths aware of social issues,” he added.