BENGALURU: Drawing parallels to the assassination of Gauri Lankesh, several Muslim activists and journalists came together to discuss incidents involving Sulli and Bulli Bai apps that targeted them.
Several activists said that during the ordeals, they were told to ignore online harassment, as it wasn’t as real or threatening as regular harassment.
“When you’re a journalist and you have to talk to people, there is a chance that they might have seen those pictures of you. If there’s even a 0.01% chance of someone harassing me or attacking me in real life, then it’s not just online, it is very real,” said Ismat Ara, who works as a journalist for the Wire and one of the targeted.
Safoora Zargar, an activist and scholar, pointed out that similar incidents had occurred preceding Gauri’s assassination.
“Her harassment started with online threats, letters, emails and interactions. In fact, her last op-ed warns us of how a regime manufactures not misinformation, but intentional disinformation,” she said.
Targets of apps
In honour of the late journalist, the Gauri Memorial Trust and Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP) organised a panel discussion on her birthday.
The panelists highlighted their experiences as professional women, Muslims and as targets of apps.
Noor Mahvish, a law student who had been targeted by Sulli Deals app, said, “They tell us that hijab is oppression or women are forced, but that is not a fact. I love wearing my hijab and no one has forced me. When I approached Kolkata police, they took a month to file an FIR, but online they are incredibly active.”
On some people being apprehended in cases related to apps, Ara said, “It is incredibly frustrating and angering. Catching five people and closing the case is not sustainable when it is a growing movement.”