VICTIMIZATION AND OTHERIZATION OF THE MUSLIMS IN ROY’S THE MINISTRY OF UTMOST HAPPINESS: A POSTCOLONIAL CRITIQUE

Abstract

This study presents a postcolonial analysis of Arundhati Roy’s novel, The Ministry of Utmost Happiness, by exploring the portrayal of victimization and the otherization of Indian and Kashmiri Muslims. It delves into the portrayal of the Muslims as victims of a system (the Hindu-dominated system) that perpetuates their exploitation and marginalization. The narrative of the novel explores the aftermath of India’s partition and the consequent power dynamics that have relegated the Muslims to the status of ‘others’. Employing qualitative methodology, the study shows how Roy’s vivid prose exposes the systemic injustices faced by Muslim characters, including discrimination, violence, and loss. The research critically examines the novel’s exploration of identity, nationalism, and religious polarization, while also highlighting the deliberate efforts within the Hindu community to establish India as an exclusively Hindu state. Ultimately, this postcolonial critique of the novel seeks to provoke reflection on the dynamics of communal relationships and the urgent need for empathy, understanding, and social change in contemporary India.