Unpacking the Political Layers in Roy’s ‘The Ministry of Utmost Happiness’ - (Assignment 207)

Unpacking the Political Layers in Roy’s ‘The Ministry of Utmost Happiness’

Table of contents 

• Personal Information 
• Assignment Details 
• Abstract 
• Keywords 
• Introduction 
• Political Context and Setting
• Kashmir: Insurgency, Militarism and Identity 
• Marginalisation and Resistance: The Case of Anjum 
• The Role of Women and Feminist Perspective 
• Allusions and Narrative Strategies 
• Critique of Power Structures  
• Conclusion 
• References 

Personal Information 

Name - Bhumiba Gohil 

Batch - M.A. Sem 4 (2023-2025)

Enrollment Number - 5108230016

Email Address - bhumibagohil333@gmail.com 

Roll Number - 4

 

Assignment Details 

Topic - Unpacking the Political Layers in Roy’s The Ministry of Utmost Happiness

Paper - Contemporary Literatures in English

Paper Number - 207

Subject Code - 22414

Submitted to - Smt. S.B. Gardi Department of English M.K.B.U.

Date of Submission - 17 April 2025

 

Abstract

Arundhati Roy’s ‘The Ministry of Utmost Happiness’ is a politically charged novel that reflects the contemporary socio-political fabric of India. Through interwoven narratives and diverse characters, Roy offers a vivid critique of governmental policies, communal violence, and the marginalization of minority groups. This paper explores the political themes embedded in the novel, drawing upon three critical articles that examine Roy’s portrayal of state authority, nationalism, insurgency, gender identity, and resistance. The analysis highlights how Roy merges fiction with political discourse to comment on the erosion of democratic values, the rise of religious nationalism, and the struggle of the marginalized to find dignity and justice.

Keywords

Arundhati Roy, The Ministry of Utmost Happiness, Politics, Nationalism, Kashmir, Transgender identity, Marginalisation, Communalism, Resistance

Introduction

Arundhati Roy’s ‘The Ministry of Utmost Happiness’ is not merely a work of fiction but a powerful political narrative rooted in the real socio-political history of modern India. Published in 2017, the novel follows multiple intersecting stories—most prominently those of Anjum, a transgender woman, and Tilottama, a woman entangled in the Kashmir conflict. The narrative traverses major political events such as the 2002 Gujarat riots, the Bhopal Gas Tragedy, the Emergency of 1975, and the ongoing tensions in Kashmir. Roy’s activist background is central to her writing. She does not shy away from controversial issues, using her fiction to expose the failures and violence of the state. Roy’s use of allusions and political satire allows her to critique the ruling establishment and highlight the systemic injustices faced by minorities. Roy’s work also challenges gender norms and foregrounds the intersection of political and personal identities.

This paper critically examines the political dimensions of ‘The Ministry of Utmost Happiness’, focusing on how Roy addresses themes of religious nationalism, state oppression, insurgency, and the politics of identity. 

Political Context and Setting

Roy situates her narrative within a deeply politicised landscape, incorporating real historical events into the fictional lives of her characters. The novel references the 1975 Emergency, the Bhopal Gas Tragedy, the Gujarat riots of 2002, the Kashmir insurgency, and incidents of cow vigilantism and caste-based violence. As Maurya and Kumar argue, these references are not incidental; they form the backbone of the novel’s commentary on the degeneration of Indian democracy. (Maurya)

The state is often portrayed as a repressive force that targets dissenters, minorities, and the poor. The Emergency, for instance, is depicted through Anjum’s experience, highlighting the arbitrary arrests, censorship, and forced sterilizations carried out during Indira Gandhi’s regime. Roy uses allusions to link political decisions with the suffering of ordinary people, thus holding the government accountable without direct accusation. Similarly, Roy addresses the rise of Hindu nationalism and the saffronization of politics through references to contemporary leaders. Characters like “Gujrat ka Lalla” clearly allude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, critiquing his role in the Gujarat riots and his majoritarian politics. As Batra observes, Roy’s portrayal of political figures is laden with irony and sarcasm, which underscores her disapproval of the current political climate. (Batra)

Kashmir: Insurgency, Militarism, and Identity

The Kashmir conflict forms a central thread in the novel’s political discourse. Through the story of Tilottama and Musa, Roy delves into the complexities of insurgency, militarization, and the meaning of freedom. Musa, a former student turned militant, represents the disillusionment of Kashmiri youth. His longing for “Azadi” (freedom) is juxtaposed with the state’s portrayal of militants as terrorists. Batra argues that Roy provides a nuanced depiction of the Kashmir issue, highlighting both the violence perpetrated by militants and the brutality of the Indian military. She exposes the army’s use of torture, arbitrary detention, and the suppression of civil liberties. However, the novel also critiques the internal contradictions within the Kashmiri separatist movement, including the use of religious ideology and patriarchal norms. (Batra)

Roy’s depiction is not one-sided. She presents the perspectives of characters within the military and civil services, such as Biplab Dasgupta, who struggle with moral dilemmas and bureaucratic constraints. This multiplicity of voices complicates the narrative and avoids a simplistic good-versus-evil dichotomy. As noted by Suleman et al., Roy’s exploration of national identity questions who gets to belong in the Indian nation-state and who is excluded or erased. (Suleman)

Marginalization and Resistance: The Case of Anjum

Anjum, the transgender protagonist, embodies the intersection of gender, religion, and politics. Born as Aftab, Anjum is rejected by her family and society due to her ambiguous gender identity. Her experiences reflect the marginalization of the hijra community in India. As Suleman et al. highlight, Roy uses Anjum’s story to critique rigid gender binaries and the social ostracism of non-normative identities. (Suleman)

Anjum’s life is shaped by political events beyond her control. She witnesses the Gujarat riots, is nearly killed in a mob attack, and later takes refuge in a graveyard, where she creates a sanctuary for other outcasts. The graveyard becomes a symbolic space of resistance and resilience—a place where the marginalized reclaim agency. Through Anjum, Roy links the personal to the political. The discrimination she faces is not just social but institutional, as state policies and political narratives often exclude transgender and Muslim individuals. Her adoption of Zainab, an abandoned child, further asserts the right of marginalized people to form families and communities on their own terms. Maurya and Kumar note that Anjum’s journey challenges the very foundation of who is considered a “legitimate” citizen in India. (Maurya)

The Role of Women and Feminist Perspectives

Alongside the political narrative, The Ministry of Utmost Happiness is deeply feminist in its treatment of women’s lives and struggles in patriarchal India. Arundhati Roy brings to the forefront not just Anjum, but also Tilottama (Tilo), Revathy, and several unnamed women who inhabit a world shaped by both political and personal violence.

Tilo is one of the most politically conscious characters in the novel, and her life choices reflect a resistance to the expectations imposed on women by both society and the state. She refuses traditional roles—first by becoming an activist and then by divorcing her husband, Naga, a journalist with ties to the political establishment. Her decision to terminate a pregnancy, as discussed by Suleman et al. (2020), illustrates her refusal to be defined by conventional motherhood, further asserting bodily autonomy as a political act.

Moreover, Revathy, a Naxalite militant and the mother of the abandoned child Miss Jebeen the Second, represents another form of feminist resistance. Her tragic story critiques the state’s brutal repression of insurgent movements, but also sheds light on how women in such movements often face double oppression—from the state and from within their own ranks.

Roy critiques the gendered nature of violence and authority, showing how political regimes use both law and brute force to control women’s bodies and choices. The forced sterilizations during the Emergency, the erasure of transgender and intersex people like Anjum, and the militarized rape and humiliation in Kashmir all expose the systematic exploitation of gendered bodies for political ends.

This feminist lens adds a vital dimension to Roy’s political commentary. By centering female and queer voices, the novel does more than just critique political structures—it imagines alternative ways of living and resisting. As Maurya and Kumar (2019) note, Roy’s inclusion of these voices reflects a vision of democracy that is inclusive, intersectional, and grounded in empathy.

Allusions and Narrative Strategies

Roy’s use of allusion is a critical technique in embedding political commentary within the novel. As Maurya and Kumar explain, allusions serve as indirect references to political figures, events, and ideologies, allowing Roy to critique without direct confrontation. This strategy not only avoids censorship but also engages readers who are familiar with Indian political history. (Maurya)

The novel is rich in symbolic imagery and metaphors. For example, the Ministry of Utmost Happiness itself is an ironic title, suggesting that happiness is elusive in a society marred by violence and inequality. The graveyard, where many characters eventually find peace, symbolizes a space free from societal judgment—a counterpoint to the “duniya” (mainstream world) that rejects them. Roy also uses fragmentation and multiple perspectives to mirror the chaos and diversity of India. As Batra notes, the narrative style can be disjointed, but it reflects the disordered reality of a nation struggling with its contradictions. This method allows Roy to include a wide range of political issues without reducing them to a single viewpoint. (Batra)

Critique of Power Structures

Roy’s novel is fundamentally a critique of power—whether it is exercised through the state, religion, patriarchy, or capitalism. Characters who resist or question authority often face repression, imprisonment, or violence. Tilottama, for example, is interrogated and humiliated for her association with a Kashmiri militant. Anjum is attacked for her religious and gender identity. Roy also questions the moral legitimacy of political institutions. The state is shown to be complicit in human rights violations, often prioritizing national image over justice. Corruption, communalism, and surveillance are recurring motifs that reveal the erosion of democratic values.

Roy’s activism is embedded in her fiction. Her characters do not passively accept their fate but fight, protest, and create alternative spaces of hope. The Jantar Mantar protests, for instance, represent a microcosm of resistance, where victims of various injustices come together to demand accountability. (Suleman)

Conclusion

Arundhati Roy’s ‘The Ministry of Utmost Happiness’ is a powerful political novel that challenges readers to confront uncomfortable truths about modern India. Through richly layered characters, interwoven narratives, and historical allusions, Roy critiques the state’s role in perpetuating inequality, violence, and exclusion. Her exploration of Kashmir, communalism, gender identity, and nationalism reveals the complex interplay between personal experiences and political realities.

References 

Batra, Jagdish. “Politico-Literary Response to Terrorism: A Study of Arundhary Roy’s The Ministry of Utmost Happiness.” Humanities and Social Sciences Review, vol. 7, no. 2, 2017, pp. 429–438.https://pure.jgu.edu.in/id/eprint/2848. Accessed 16 April 2025.

Maurya, Prashant, and Nagendra Kumar. “Political Overtones and Allusions in Arundhati Roy’s The Ministry of Utmost Happiness.” Research Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, vol. 10, no. 3, July–Sept. 2019, pp. 829–839. 10.5958/2321-5828.2019.00137.2. Accessed 16 April 2025.

Roy, Arundhati. The Ministry of Utmost Happiness. Penguin Books, 2017.

Suleman, Danish, Abdul Halim Mohamed, and Md. Firoj Ahmmed. “Political and Gender Issues in Arundhati Roy’s The Ministry of Utmost Happiness.” Indonesian Journal of Cultural and Community Development, vol. 5, Mar. 2020. SSRN, https://ssrn.com/abstract=3722591. Accessed 16 April 2025.