NEW DELHI: The hate campaign on social against Jamia Millia Islamia student and anti-CAA activist Safoora Zargar, who was charged under the UAPA for her alleged role in the Delhi riots and is lodged at Tihar Jail, has shocked her family and friends as well as activists.
Over three months pregnant, Zargar has become a victim of social media campaign to malign her, with questions being raised on her marriage and pregnancy. The vilification has forced her family to make her wedding pictures public in a bid to silence the trolls. The slander campaign also prompted the Delhi Commission of Women to issue a notice to cyber cell of the Delhi Police asking for action to be taken against the trolls.
However, no action has been taken in the matter so far. Despite several attempts, Delhi Police officials couldn’t be reached for the comment on DCW notice.The 27-year-old MPhil student was arrested by Delhi Police’s Special Cell on 10 April and charged under the stringent Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).
Women and ant-CAA activists have come out in Zargar’s support saying character assassination is the weapon of patriarchy and fascist machinery to scuttle democratic, strong and independent voices of young women. “This is the best way to demoralise women when you attack their character, but times have changed. We want to convey to Safoora and other young girls that we will not cow down. We will come out loud and clear,” said activist Annei Raje.
Raja said this is a targeted attack on young and educated people particularly, those belonging to Muslim community. “The government never expected these women to be politically aware and being capable of organising themselves at a large scale... They proved everyone wrong with their level of awareness and acted (on the Citizenship Amendment Bill),” she said.
Ranjana Kumari, social activist and director for Centre for Social Research (CSR), said the attack on Zargar was a violation of all democratic and human rights. “This is not acceptable in a democratic system. She should be given medical care and protection and law should take its course at the earliest and justice should be delivered in her case,” she said, adding, “Organised trolling is the most inhuman and obnoxious thing.”
Film actress and activist Swara Bhaskar also endorsed a protest against the harassment of Zargar. Zargar volunteered for the anti-CAA protests outside Jamia after Delhi Police barged inside the campus injuring 200 students and damaging property. She was part of the Jamia Coordination Committee which organised protests, talks by activists, celebrities and politicians against the CAA.The Morning Standard tried to reach out to Zargar’s family but overwhelmed with the current situation, they did not wish to comment.