Bookers prize winner jailed for contempt of court

Booker Prize winning novelist Arundhati Roy was convicted of contempt by India’s Supreme Court today and taken to jail to serve a one day sentence.

Roy, whose book, The God of Small Things, won the Booker Prize in 1997, was also fined €45. If she does not pay, she will have to spend three months in prison instead of the symbolic one day sentence.

‘‘I stand by what I said,’’ Roy said as she was taken to Tihar Jail. ‘‘I am prepared to suffer the consequences.

‘‘The message is clear,’’ she added. ‘‘Any citizen who dares to criticise the court does so at his or her peril.’’

The author said she would decide tomorrow whether to pay the fine. Her lawyer said the court decision will be challenged.

The Supreme Court found her guilty of contempt by ‘‘scandalising it and lowering its dignity through her statements.’’

Roy was part of a crowd that shouted slogans against the court outside the building in October 2000 after it approved the construction of the Narmada Dam. She opposed the project because she felt it would harm small farmers and villagers.

Roy donated more than €33,000 of the Booker Prize money to the campaign against the dam.

When opposing lawyers in the Narmada case accused her of contempt of court, she filed an affidavit suggesting she should not have to appear and questioned the court’s decision to consider the case.

She said it ‘‘creates a disturbing impression that there is an inclination on the part of the court to silence criticism and muzzle dissent.’’

Although the contempt of court charges against her in the original case were dismissed, the Supreme Court accused her of contempt for the comments in her affidavit.

‘‘The judgment only confirms what I said in my affidavit,’’ Roy said. ‘‘It is a sad realisation for me because I feel the Supreme Court is an important institution and the citizens of India have high expectations from it.’’

About 200 protesters demonstrated in support of Roy outside the court today. Many of them were from the Narmada Valley whose homes are under threat when the dam is built. They waved placards with slogans like: ‘‘Free speech is not contempt.’’