DefinePK

Abstract

Subalternization is a key postcolonial term that is fundamentally a social process which means to put someone in subordinate position. It is said to be a process in which elite class exploits the nation’s poor in the name of nationalism. It preserves the power and privileges of the class of native masters. This concept has been highlighted in literary studies for a long time. Arundhati Roy in The Ministry of Utmost Happiness also takes up issues of subalternization in Indian society and tries to debunk the myth of India as a biggest democracy and secular state which propagates protecting the minorities but keeps exploiting them through different means. This paper is an attempt to understand those issues of subalternization and highlights their impact on Kashmiris investigating the oppressive policies of the Indian State adversely affecting its image. The concept of ‘postcolonial subalternization’ is used as the framework for the analysis of the novel with special reference to Kashmiris studied with regard to their demonization and persecution resulting in their ghettoization and marginalization. The paper concludes that the response of Indian State towards Kashmiris is based on apathy as the security personnel are seen actively involved in oppressive acts.