Hashtags like #JusticeforSSR #SSRMurderedNotSuicide #SushantWasKilled started trending widely on Twitter in India. The media trial began from the TV news studios taking up the onus of deciphering various elements of the case, dissecting every statement coming from the police, from Chakraborty, from Rajput’s family and the narrative completely went against Chakraborty. Everything was put to question, the money transferred from Rajput’s bank account, his credit cards being used by Chakraborty and many such personal details have been dragged in the mud now. Various social media platforms were filled with deplorable misogynistic posts blaming her for Rajput’s death.

She has already been dubbed ‘murderer’. Other terms being used against her are ‘gold digger’, ‘manipulative’, ‘credit card lover’ and many sexist slurs have been hurled against her reflecting the vehement and ingrained misogyny in the society.

Some tweets can be read here:

#SCGiveJusticeToSSR How Many Of Guys Believe #RheaChakroborty Should Be Hang Till Death For Killing Sushant pic.twitter.com/tVt3emAO00

— Binod TrendingWala (@Ashish60853468) August 11, 2020

Arrest Gold digger #RheaChakroborty now…#ArrestRheaNow pic.twitter.com/vGZgYJXxtd

— Laxman Gurjar Rajsamand (Modi Fan) (@LGBhaiGurjar) August 11, 2020

She deserve more than this . #RheaChakroborty #MumbaiPoliceSoldOut #MahaGovtSoldOut #adityathackeray #IPSVinayTewari #IPSVinayTiwari #BabyPenguine pic.twitter.com/VVBB3k6PWL

— राजीव (@Rajeev50746590) August 3, 2020

People are even questioning her income, based on TV news media trial:

failed actress #RheaChakroborty #rhea income pic.twitter.com/LWseHWlWz0

— naashonomics (@naashonomics) August 10, 2020

Comes all out, who is #RheaChakroborty#SushantMysteryDeepens#ArrestRheaChakraborty https://t.co/Ly7w1pqSVn

— Rupika Singh ? (@Ru_Narendr16) August 3, 2020

There are even songs being made in Bhojpuri abusing Chakraborty using derogatory language. The media trial that has kept at it for many days, while sidelining the important issues that actually concern the nation, has largely contributed to this hatred on social media. The fact that the matter is sub-judice in court has been completely ignored by the media and people being people, are picking up from these unethical media trials to spread hatred against a woman. Whether Chakraborty is guilty or not is for the courts of law to decide yet, this public trial that she has had to go through since the first day is a reflection of us as a hate mongering society.

Related:

Media, right-wing spew venom over Sushant Singh Rajput’s death

I love India, don’t you dare call me anti-nationalist : Irrfan Khan’s son

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The show is hosted by Amish Devgan who is known to be a serial hate offender. Earlier last month, a police complaint was filed against him for spreading fake news of Muslims offering namaaz at the Kurla Masjid in Mumbai amid the lockdown. After the news was proven to be false, he issued a 30-second apology to his viewers for the incident.

Amish had earlier also said that the Delhi violence that took place in February, were “religiously motivated” while insinuating that the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protestors had a part to play in the matter.

It must be noted, that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have been rallying – “Ayodhya toh jhaanki hai, Kashi-Mathura baaki hai (Ayodhya is just a trailer, Kashi Mathura are left to be ours)” for years. The slogan signifies the rally for taking down mosques in Kashi and Mathura. In Varanasi, the Kashi Vishwanath temple shares its boundary wall with the Gyanvapi mosque and in Mathura, the Shahi Idgah is located right next to the Krishna Janmabhoomi temple complex.

Background of the show

The show’s host Amish Devgan, started out saying that the topic picked up for debate was not based on religious matters but on legal aspects. The panelists on his show, were Sudhanshu Trivedi – BJP MP, Mahant Naval Kishore Das, Peace Party spokesperson Shadab Chauhan, Atiq ur Rehman – Islamic Scholar, Vinod Bansal – National spokesperson VHP and Maulana Ali Qadri.

Devgan’s show started out with the information about the Vishwa Bhadra Pujari Purohit Mahasangh (VBPPM) moving the Supreme Court to challenge the constitutional validity of the Places of Worship Act, 1991, Section 4(1) of which states “It is hereby declared that the religious character of a place of worship existing on the 15th day of August, 1947 shall continue to be the same as it existed on that day.” VBPPM had challenged the Act saying that under foreign rule, many Hindu places of worship were either desecrated, damaged or destroyed. They claimed that the Act was against the principle of Secularism and ultra vires to Article 14, 15, 25, 26 and 29(1).

In response to this move by the VBPPM, the Jamiat-Ulema-i-Hind (JUH), a Muslim NGO, moved the Supreme Court asking for it to be made party to the case to put forth the views of the Muslim community on the matter.

More on the Places of Worship Act case, may be read here.

Inciting hate

Amish said that he categorically didn’t want to turn the debate into a religious one, but was only going to talk about the legal aspects of the matter. He said he wanted to talk about what it was about the Act that the group of priests wanted to be amended. While it was expected that the panelists would keep forth their views with fervor, what was shocking was the difference in Devgan’s behaviour with panelists from different religious backgrounds and political ideologies. Devgan was ; on the one hand while he was courteous to the Mahant and those from the BJP and VHP, he didn’t let the Maulana speak, and also twisted his words out of context:

1.       He questioned those panelists siding with the Hindu seer group asking, “Muslim paksh ka kehna hai ki ye naye tareeke ki dukaan hai jo shuru kar rahe hain aap? (is this a new shop you’re trying to start?” and then went to answer his own question by saying that the Muslims had already opened their ‘shop of fear’ by filing the petition against the VBPPM saying that the religious places of worship of the Muslims would be in jeopardy if the Act is amended.

2.       He then cut short Maulana Ali Qadri who was saying that the raking up of the issue by VBPPM was nothing short of a ploy to hide the failures of the BJP which had miserably failed in its governance during the lockdown. Stopping Maulana Qadri midway, Devgan questioned that if that was the case, wasn’t the JUH’s filing a petition also aiding in hiding the BJP’s shortcomings?

Devgan then requested VHP’s Vinod Bansal to respond to Maulana Qadri saying, “Maulana Ali Qadri keh rahe hain ki aap log ashanti failana chahte hain… (Maulana Ali Qadri is saying it is you people who are trying to destroy peace..”

In reality however, Maulana Ali Qadri had never used the word ‘ashanti’ but only said that the ruling government and its allies should focus on development and not create communal hatred, because by doing so, it would only create roadblocks in the path to progress.

3.       When Bansal said, “Jiske mann mein ashanti ho, jiske tan mein ashanti ho aur jiske dharm mein ashanti ho, woh ashanti ki hi baat karega (If unrest resides in a person’s heart, body and religion, that person will talk about destruction of peace,” Devgan did not retort to that provocation.

Devgan also didn’t stop Bansal when he was talking about properties being given to the Wakf Board after 1947 and said, “Ye saara ka saara inka aur inke baap ka hai? (Are all these properties belonging to them and their father?”

4.       Shadab Chauhan, a member of the Peace Party who had filed a review petition in the Ayodhya case, was reprimanded for saying that he would not tolerate the saffron colour (zafrani colour) would be insulted by any thug. Amish unleashed his rage at Shadab saying that he couldn’t call the seers as thugs. He asked Shadab to “shut up” and asked him to not “cross his limits” and in true anchor fashion asked his team to cut off his audio. He was asked to also “get out”. Yes, if Shadab hurt religious sentiments, he should’ve apologized, but the way Devgan moderated the debate against him was also questionable.

He went on a tirade saying that the seers were the patrons of the Hindus and making probably making a reference to the Palghar lynching of two seers, he said, “Maharashtra mein maar denge? Aap gaali de denge? Aise hi chalega ka kya? (You will kill them in Maharashtra, abuse them? Is this the way it’s going to be?”

It must be noted that the Palghar lynchings were categorically established to not be a communal incident by the Maharashtra government authorities. However, Devgan’s pinning of this incident in a debate like this, just goes to show that he clearly wanted to incite communal sentiments.

5.       In the context of history, Sudhanshu Trivedi recounted the so called assaults by the Mughals upon the people of India and then moved on to make a frivolous claim saying that once the complete mapping of the human genome is done, none of India’s Muslims will be found to have the DNA of Arabs, Mongols or Turks. Taking the names of Zakir Naik, Shadab Chauhan and many others he asked them to come out of the mindset of slavery (to the Mughals) and accept their culture (Hindu).

6.       Devgan once again tilted the debate to religion when Maulana Qadri responded to Trivedi’s claim by saying not all Muslims in India were converted Muslims. Devgan retorted to this saying that if someone had changed their religion, he wouldn’t have done it out of choice. He also went on to cite the Bhagwad Gita saying that the religious scripture stated that whoever changed his religion, was doomed for life.

 
Why holding such shows is dangerous 

A look at the comments on the YouTube video will remind one of the hateful words and thoughts against the minorities that were spoken earlier during the Ayodhya land dispute.  

The comments talk of the majority being in danger, words that have long been said by the BJP, RSS and VHP. 

The comments also issue blatant threats, addressing Muslims as ‘jihadis’. 

अगर भगवाधारियों ने अपनी सहिष्णुता छोड़ दी, तो एक-एक जेहादी को जहन्नुम की आग में झोंक देंगे, भगवान का साधु-संतों का भगवा का अपमान बर्दाश्त नहीं किया जाएगा, हूरों की कमी पड़ जाएगी जेहादियों। ?#AarPaar

— सचिन कुमार धाणयाण (कश्यप राजपूत) (@sachinkdkr) June 15, 2020

काशी मथुरा के मंदिरो के साथ जिहादी सोच के प्रतीको का क्या काम जब पूरी दुनिया मे दासता के प्रतीको को ध्वसत किया जा रहा है तो भारत मे क्यो नही हो सकता।#aarpaar @AMISHDEVGAN

— Kalia deepak2207 (@KDeepak2207) June 15, 2020

सादाब से कहिये सलवार मे इतनी ताकत नही है भगबा की ताकत का सामना करे हम भग्बधरि तल्वारो से खेलतय है हमने सलवार नही स्वीकारी है डर से #AarPaar

— Abhishek (@Abhishe99788474) June 15, 2020

At a time when there are issues related to the economy, plight of migrants, deviation of environmental laws, appropriation of indigenous lands and crime during lockdown among others, why is it necessary for someone like Amish Devgan to pick a topic related to communal sentiments, make it highly sensational given his style of hosting and then claim that he wanted to discuss the legal aspect of it? In the 52 minutes that the show ran for, not one minute was taken to discuss the legal issue. His outlook reeks of hypocrisy and is evident of a partisan ideology. 

The entire show may be viewed here. We must warn you, that much of the content can be deeply upsetting and even triggering to some viewers.

The post News 18’s Amish Devgan rakes up Kashi-Mathura debate, incites anti-minority hate appeared first on SabrangIndia.

From giving a communal colour to the protests to using all the tricks in the book to delegitimize the many women-led protests in the country, a section of the society is working to quell the voices of freedom and patriotism that have risen against the fascist ruling government. 

One such gem propagating hate is Prashant Singh Rajput. 

A serial hate speech offender and a staunch proponent of the Hindu Rashtra, he has previously also been imprisoned for his abusive diatribe. 

Continuously attacking the women of Shaheen Bagh, who have been protesting against the CAA-NPR-NRC, on his Facebook profile which has now been taken down, he had allegedly issued an open threat that he would shoot at the people there on February 9, in case they “fail to clear the roads for the Hindus.”

Eerily similar to the threat that the Jamia gunman had issued on his Facebook page and carried out too. 

Not only that, Prashant has allegedly routinely targeted Muslims in his posts, engaging in racial slurs and dehumanizing the community altogether by comparing them to certain animals. He also refers to Shaheen Bagh as ‘Tauheen Bagh’ (tauheen – insult) with an aim to decrease the significance of the impact of the movement that has arisen there. 

Giving a clarion call for “Jai Hindu Rashtra”, he has also abused the Father of the nation, Mahatma Gandhi through his posts by using demeaning language against him, while praising the work of Gandhi’s assassinator Nathuram Godse, saying “Godse Amar Rahe” (Long Live Godse). 

Currently, Prashant’s Facebook account has been suspended. However, there are many more like Prashant who are spreading hate on social media. With followers in the thousands, people like Prashant have the capability to influence youngsters who are already conditioned against minorities and see them as ‘others’ in their own country. 

Related:

Serial hate offender Yati Maharaj spews venom at Muslims at pro-CAA rally

BJP MP Dilip Ghosh asks why Shaheen Bagh protestors aren’t dying

BJP MP suggests Shaheen Bagh protesters are rapists

Union Minister says “gun down traitors” at Delhi Election rally

The post Prashant Singh Rajput – Peddling communal hate on social media appeared first on SabrangIndia.

New Delhi: Acclaimed Hindi fiction writer and essayist Krishna Sobti passed away on Friday at the age of 93 due to prolonged illness, her family said.
 
“She died at a hospital here today. Her health had deteriorated in the last few months and she had been in and out of the hospital,” actress Ekavali Khanna, her grandniece, told IANS.
 
“She launched her new book in the hospital last month. Despite her ill health, she was always discussing arts, creative processes and life,” Khanna added.
 
Sobti, best known for her 1966 novel Mitro Marjani, won the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1980 for her novel Zindaginama. Some of her other novels are Daar Se Bichhuri, Surajmukhi Andhere Ke and Yaaron Ke Yaar.
 
Sobti was born in Gujrat region of pre-Partition Punjab in 1925 and liberally used Punjabi dialect and terminologies even while writing in Hindi.
 
The acclaimed author and essayist died at a Delhi hospital, where she admitted for the last two months. Her condition was critical and she was in the ICU from the last one week.
 
The author was known for her work on female sexuality, partition, relationships between man and woman, changing dynamics of Indian society and the issues of female identity.
 
She filed a suit against novelist Amrita Pritam in 1984 for publishing a book titled Hardatt Ka Zindaginama. Sobti claimed that Pritam had violated copyright laws by using a title similar to her book. The suit was decided in her favour in 2011, six years after Pritam’s death.
 
Sobti also won the Sahitya Akademi Fellowship, the highest award given by the Akademi, in 1996. The writer was honoured with the Jnanpith Award in 2017 for her contribution to Indian literature. She was also offered Padma Bhushan, which she had declined.
 
Her last rites will be performed at 4 pm on Friday at the Nigam Bodh ghat in Delhi.
 
Her latest book Channa was launched at New Delhi World Book Fair on January 11.
 
Author-poet Ashok Vajpeyi said she was the “trustee of Indian democracy” through her contribution to literature.
 
“What she has done for Indian literature is unmatched. Her social message was very clear through her work, if we can call an author a trustee of democracy and constitution, she was it.
 
“She fought for equality and justice throughout her life. She was not just an eminent author of Hindi, but the entire Indian literature,” Mr Vajpeyi said.
 
Terming her demise as a “loss for world literature”, poet Ashok Chakradhar said she was the “pioneer of writing for women’s honour”.
 
“Her Mitro Marjani established a new type of writing style in Indian literature. I was lucky to have known her. And her demise is not just a loss for our country but the entire world,” Mr Chakradhar said.
 
    
 
 
Inputs from PTI
 

The post Firebrand Hindi fiction writer Krishna Sobti no more appeared first on SabrangIndia.