Srinagar, Sept 30: A day after quoting Arundhati Roy in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, BJP MLA Ranbir Singh Pathania on Wednesday said he had never criticised the writer personally, insisting his remarks were part of a legislative debate and not a political statement against her.
Speaking to Kashmir Convener outside the Assembly, MLA Pathania said, “I have never criticised Arundhati Roy ji specifically. If the party has expressed any viewpoint about her particular action, that’s a different matter.”
The MLA’s clarification came after he invoked a passage from Roy’s Supreme Court affidavit on Tuesday while supporting a government Bill that seeks to decriminalise and rationalise certain offences. Quoting Roy, Pathania had said: “The process of the trial, and all that it entails, is as much, if not more, of a punishment than the sentence itself.”
The reference drew attention given Roy’s contentious standing in political discourse and the BJP’s frequent criticism of her.
On Wednesday, MLA Pathania sought to frame his remarks as a call for better legislation. “She is criminalising and decriminalising. There was a sentence in the Supreme Court. There was a lot of debate about it,” he said.
“I referred to it yesterday as part of a debate. They are used to help the government. They tried to facilitate the government’s motive and the government’s bill,” he added.
Arguing that legislative scrutiny should be substantive, MLA Pathania said, “So, there is always an effort. There should be quality in the legislation. There should be discussion and deliberation. Everyone should express their viewpoint so that we can move forward. With this effort, we gave our viewpoint yesterday.”
During Tuesday’s debate on L.A. Bill No. 16 of 2026, Pathania welcomed and supported the legislation introduced by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, while also flagging apprehensions over some of its provisions. He used Roy’s affidavit to underline the burden of criminal proceedings on individuals facing trial.
Notably, The episode is notable because Roy has repeatedly been at the centre of political controversy, and the BJP has often targeted her over her views. Pathania’s decision to cite her in the Assembly — and his subsequent clarification — reflects the sensitivity surrounding any reference to her in political settings.
The Bill, introduced by the CM Omar Abdullah-led government, seeks to decriminalise and rationalise certain offences, a move the government has described as a step towards easing the burden on citizens and the judicial system.
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