India has found herself in a fiery milieu again. And it concerns the same issue that you and I have been fighting for a long time now- women safety. While debates/discussions are still on, the grim reality, unfortunately, can no longer afford to be just living-room talks.
If you ask why, you have certainly slept through the mass rage that has me saying these things. The angst that was rightly expressed when big political names shamed Chandigarh victim, Varnika Kundu, after she was chased and stalked by Vikas Barala (son of Haryana BJP chief Subhash Barala) and his accomplice, Ashish Kumar.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t stop there.
Now, Bollywood singer and Union Minister of State, Babul Supriyo has jumped the wagon and penned a Twitter thread that not only normalises stalking but ridicules the voice of the nation which is fighting for Varnika.
He took to Twitter and wrote,
1. I’m sorry. WHAT?
1/many:Guys, think rationally🤔A guy chases a girl- he's drunk!Deplorable👎🏿But why charge him with 'Abduction' etc without investigation?
— Babul Supriyo (@SuPriyoBabul) August 8, 2017
2. ‘Mischief.’ Cause that’s what it was!
2/many:Why drag his father in2 it? Just cuz a Neta's son's mischief make better headlines?"Desh ki Beti ko insaaf chahiye?" etc etc! Why?
— Babul Supriyo (@SuPriyoBabul) August 8, 2017
3. He even hailed the system high.
3/many:If investigations reveal the guy guilty of nonbailable offences, law exists&it wil prevail but taint the men in uniforms prematurely?
— Babul Supriyo (@SuPriyoBabul) August 8, 2017
4. The best gimmick in the book!
4/many:why r'nt the sm JusticeSeekers raising voices for the youngster hacked 2 death in Kerala or the 61yr old woman raped&killed in WB 2?
— Babul Supriyo (@SuPriyoBabul) August 8, 2017
5. A Self-proclaimed win!
Nw that I hv u guys with ur teeth&nails out, I reqst u 2 visit WB wid me 2 fight against police atrocity&get justice fr the old woman?any1🙏
— Babul Supriyo (@SuPriyoBabul) August 8, 2017
Needless to say, journalists did not spare the moment and took the minister down for his callous words. One of them, Karnika Kohli, even asked exactly what a sane person would have.
.@SuPriyoBabul, you nephew started tweeting from your account again. pic.twitter.com/wdOqZYSElS
— Karnika (@KarnikaKohli) August 8, 2017
.@SuPriyoBabul, what do u think he was planning to do with her? pakdam-pakdai khelna chahta tha bechara?
— Karnika (@KarnikaKohli) August 8, 2017
To which, pat came the replies.
That's ur dirty mind going on a over-drive sister!think rationally, DO U really wish 2 encourage this 'Trial by Media' in our Country? https://t.co/U2HVGxeZ5r
— Babul Supriyo (@SuPriyoBabul) August 8, 2017
I hv asked the ques I felt like asking•FoS•The language u choose 2 respond wil define&showcase ur Pedigree•Bring them ON guys•Good luck
— Babul Supriyo (@SuPriyoBabul) August 8, 2017
But just when we thought it was over, Babul did the unthinkable. He traced the journalist and questioned her credentials on the basis of this.
Obviously @KarnikaKohli HAD 2 b a Journo tryin 2 sell her paper&Me her 'soft' target 2day🤣Ma'am, let's c u making ur point wid 'soft' lingo pic.twitter.com/6knrNlGirb
— Babul Supriyo (@SuPriyoBabul) August 8, 2017
Yes, ‘Soft target’. You read that right.
The spat furthered and turned ugly in no time.
1. Not your sister, sir.
2. Dirty mind? Please explain your first tweet. What did you think Barala's intent was?— Karnika (@KarnikaKohli) August 8, 2017
That's exactly what we need 2 knw!Dont 'label' him a Neta's son•Can we go, meet the guy&ask him why he did what he did?He deserves 2 b heard https://t.co/QbwUhMTekf
— Babul Supriyo (@SuPriyoBabul) August 8, 2017
Hold on, isn’t he a Neta’s son, now?
Oh, it is far from over. The minister then tried to dismiss the claims with the most absurd reason.
Nehi nehi•Karnika madam ke paas 'Kar ne ka' kuchh nehi hai• she is a purist who only watches 'Boy chase Girl' in Bollywood Movies 🤣
— Babul Supriyo (@SuPriyoBabul) August 8, 2017
Sir, are you trying to say that since it happens in movies to real life mein chalta hai? https://t.co/Igqh1xQBXE
— Karnika (@KarnikaKohli) August 8, 2017
Just FYI, this isn’t the only thread that echoed such sentiments; there were several. Another, for instance, is this.
For 3 tweets calling him out for trivializing stalking, Union Minister Babul Supriyo blocks me, as he must have blocked others for the same pic.twitter.com/80UEvjB4gO
— Kavita Krishnan (@kavita_krishnan) August 8, 2017
This is not how a minister is supposed to oppress voices that have unified after a lot of efforts. Voices that are not afraid to speak about the misogyny and power-play of politics. But the question remains- HOW LONG?