Javed Akhtar questions silence of PM Narendra Modi, his own over 'Bulli Bai' row

Veteran screenwriter Javed Akhtar said appalled with everyones silence including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his own over the harassment of Muslim women whose doctored pictures were put online for auction in the latest incident of hate crime against MuslimsHundreds of Muslim women including prominent personalities were listed for auction on an app called Bulli Bai with photographs sourced without permission and doctored It has happened for the second time in less than a year The app appeared to be a clone of Sulli Deals which triggered a similar row last year Akhtar took to Twitter and said he was stunned by the prevailing silence over these issuesThere is an online auction of hundred women There are so called Dharm Sansads advising the army the police and the people to go for the genocide of almost 200 MLN Indians I am appalled with every ones silence including my own and particularly of The PM Is this Sub ka saath the 76yearold tweeted Akhtar also commented on a Dharma Sansad held in Haridwar last month sparked public outrage over hate speeches allegedly delivered by some participants against Muslims A second FIR was lodged against 10 persons in connection with the event on Monday Akhtars son actorfilmmaker Farhan Akhtar also tweeted against the sickening act of putting women for auction which first emerged on SaturdayThis is sickening Request authorities to take swift and strict action against the people behind this grotesque act Farhan tweeted on Sunday Several other Bollywood personalities including actors Swara Bhasker Richa Chadha Shruti Seth and screenwriter Varun Grover also commented on the issue and called it disgusting Grover said the targeting of Muslims in the country is systemic and deliberate Islamophobia is not the right word for what we are seeing today Phobias though irrational still have an element of doubt external triggers potential curesThe genocide calls auctions are deliberate doubtless hatred aided by news TV propaganda and support from the system the screenwriter tweeted On Monday the Delhi Police sought details from the GitHub platform about the developer of the controversial Bulli Bai app and wrote to Twitter for information about the account handler who first posted about it After demands for action against those behind the app IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had said on Sunday that the government is working with police in Delhi and Mumbai where cases have been registered in the matter He also said that GitHub has blocked the user who had uploaded the app and that the Computer Emergency Response Team CERT the countrys nodal agency on cyber security and police are coordinating further action in the matterA senior Delhi Police officer said on Monday As part of the probe into the matter we have written to Twitter seeking information about the account handle who had first tweeted about the Bulli Bai app This is to know how the person concerned came across the alleged application which had offensive contents being written about women of a particular community The development comes after the Delhi Police on Saturday night registered an FIR against unknown persons for allegedly uploading a doctored picture of a woman journalist on a websiteThe journalist had lodged an online complaint and shared a copy on Twitter A case was registered at the Cyber Police station of the southeast district on Saturday night the police had saidAlso Read Bulli Bai app Communal conspiracy against Indias composite culture wont succeed says NaqviNo arrest has been made in the case so far and a probe is underway they said In July last year a case was registered by the Cyber Cell of the Delhi Police after it received a similar complaint about an unidentified group uploading photos of Muslim women on the Sulli Deals mobile application Police officials said an investigation is on in that matter too but refused to elaborateThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever