File Photo: Author and Political Activist Arundhati Roy
Police have sought the video of writer and activist Arundhati Roy's controversial speech at Kerala University last month following a complaint.
City Police Commissioner H Venkatesh has asked the university authorities to provide the clipping to examine whether it had any defamatory content to initiate action against her as alleged in the complaint.
"The inquiry has been started on the basis of a complaint given to the DGP by one George from Pala (in Kottayam). As part of the probe, we have asked the university to provide the video footages of the function," Mr Venkatesh told PTI.
She made the remarks while delivering a lecture in honour of Kerala's 19th century Dalit liberation leader Ayyankali, organised by the Ayyankali Chair of the Department of History of the university.
The Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee had earlier this week adopted a resolution condemning Ms Roy's alleged remarks against Mahatma Gandhi.
Activist and writer KK Kochu said this was not for the first time that Gandhi had been criticised and taking action for voicing one's views is condemnable.
However, Congress(S) leader and former state minister Ramachandran Kadannapally, who also sought action against Ms Roy, said there was nothing wrong in the police move.
Ebi Jose, president of Pala-based Mahatma Gandhi Foundation, said in fact police should have initiated suo motu proceedings agaist Ms Roy without waiting for complaint.