New Delhi, 7^th Jan. 2022: Noted women personalities of India, from all walks of life have joined an online protest called by the Women’s Department of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH) to denounce the politics of hate, sexual violence and misogyny, peddled by apps like ‘Sulli Deals’ and ‘Bulli Bai’.

 

Prominent women personalities across the country including activists, lawyers, and journalists, social, political and community leaders spoke on Thursday evening at the ‘National Online Protest Gathering’ titled “Nari ka Samman, Desh ka Abhiman.

 

Speaking on the occasion, JIH Women Wing Secretary Ms. Atiya Siddiqua said, “our government should come forward. Those people found guilty should be punished. Had those behind “Sulli” App been punished, these guys would not have come up with Bulli Bai. There is a law of nature. There is a law of nature: What you sow, so shall we reap.” She urged women from all communities to unite against hate. “A 21-year-old girl has been arrested. I wonder how radicalized she would be. It is not just Muslim women. They can target anybody tomorrow. It is high time we unite and fight this hate,” she said.

 

JIH Women’s wing secretary Ms. Rahmathunnisa urged upon the Hindu community to come out and speak up against this act. “Those who were arrested are the tip of the iceberg. Who are behind it? Who is funding, supporting, motivating, and instigating? They should be brought to daylight. They should be named and isolated. They should be punished in such a manner that none ever dares to do it again. Such an evil mindset is among youngsters. Our leaders and rulers themselves are doing it,” she said. She said it is not a simple cybercrime but a deep-rooted conspiracy.  “This is anti-national. It has put the entire nation to shame. It is a violation of fundamental rights. It is a violation of the right to privacy and right to dignity,” she said.

 

Ms. Khalida Parveen, the 67-year-old woman who was one of the hundreds put up for auction on ‘Bulli Bai’ said she was not ashamed because she had not committed any crime. “I do not feel I am a victim. I am a targeted woman. I am not ashamed. I have not committed a crime. You can well understand the diseased mindset when they put up 67-year-old women for auction. I am a grandmother. Don’t they have mothers and grandmothers? So I have decided to fight it out,” said Ms Khalida, the general secretary of Amoomat Society.

 

Lawyer activist Maitreyi Krishnan called upon Hindu women to speak up against the harassment and atrocities. “Fact of the matter is that this is the radicalization of Hindu society. Radicalization is being normalized. It is not a distraction but their agenda. Not only is this anti-woman, but also Islamophobic, sexist, and misogynic. I am grateful that this protest is happening. We stand together. This is not the first time that this has happened. Last time, an FIR was registered, but no investigation or arrest took place,” she said.

 

Adv.Maitreyi who is co-convenor of All India Lawyers Association for Justice, said public auctioning is vilification meant to dehumanize Muslim women. “We have to see it in the light of public calls of genocide on the streets of Delhi and Dharam Sansad, which was nothing but hate assembly. The Supreme Court has come down heavily on hate crimes. There are various directions, but they are not complied with,” she said.

 

Ms.Kavita Srivastava of People’s Union of Civil Liberties (PUCL) said there is a consensus that it is fine to ridicule and dehumanize Muslims. “We were yet to come to grips with Namaz row at Gurgoan, and there was Dharam Sansad. Even before we could come to terms with it, there was a ‘Bulli Bai’. Things are moving at a very high speed. We have seen how Tableeghi Jamaat was termed super spreaders last year. We have seen people saying `Naukari Jihad, IAS Jihad, Thook Jihad’ for Muslims,” she said. Ms.Kavita said youth are filled up with so much hatred, and they are catching them young. “Even people of 14 to 21 years are being brainwashed and filled with hatred,” she said.

 

JNU research scholar Ms.Shayma S stressed the need “to look into the entire eco-system behind a series of events like Sulli Deals and Bulli Bai etc., targeting Muslim women for quite some time. And it is this eco-system that needs to be addressed to prevent occurrence of such incidents in future. She said that it was “the eco-system of radicalization” in which the men looked at women as sexual objects and carried the desire of violence against women in their minds.”  Talking about those who wanted restorative justice, not retributive justice, for the accused as they happen to be children, Ms.Shayma said where had such a sympathy gone when thousands of Dalit and Muslim children were sent to jail.

 

Others, who spoke at the protest gathering, included Advocate Flavia Agnes a women’s right lawyer, Advocate Jaleesa Sultana a member of All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), Ms.Sheema Mohsin national general secretary of Welfare party of India, Ms.Afreen Fatima national secretary Fraternity Movement, Ms.Fatima Nafees mother of missing JNU student Najeeb and JIH women’s wing member Ms.Shaista Rafat.

 

They all reiterated their solidarity to the women who have been targeted in this condemnable and criminal activity of ‘auctioning’ Muslim women, particularly those who are actively participating in public life and are journalists, activists, movement leaders and academics. The speakers have raised questions on the culture of sexual impunity that allows such incidents to repeatedly take place even as they are taken ‘cognizance’ of by the state and police authorities. Putting question mark on the heated debate around the age of the accused, they underlined the need to fight for justice instead of putting the blame on the women who were targeted. Many of the speakers pushed for the need for people from all communities and regions to speak up against the culture of hate. The nature of gendered Islamophobia was highlighted as well in the protest gathering.

 

Ms.Fakhira presented the welcome speech and Ms.Humera Koppal conducted the proceedings.