Arundhato Roy faces ire of Hindu extremists

BHUBANESWAR: Writer-activist Arundhati Roy, who on Sunday faced the ire of Hindu extremists of Sangh Parivar here, refused to express regret over her recent controversial statement on Indian occupied Kashmir (IoK).

"I have never said anything which I have not thought about," Roy told reporters after attending a meeting on "cultural resistance to war on people in corporate interest", organised by a magazine considered to be pro-left.

Standing by her statement on occupied Kashmir, Roy said, "They (Sangh Parivar activists) have rights to protest and I have rights to speak and write."

Roy's visit to the city and presence at the meeting sparked a scuffle as RSS and ABVP activists staged a black flag demonstration at the venue. They asked Roy to quit the state immediately after dubbing her as an "anti-national."

At least five people were injured in a clash between Sangh Parivar activists and the meeting organisers.

Heated argument between the two sides soon led to a clash in which sticks and stones were used leaving at least five people injured, police sources said.