An NDTV journalist on Sunday took to Twitter to allege how a group of Indians protesting against the Pulwama terror attack had harassed her in London. Radhika Iyer alleged that she was ‘hooted’ for working for NDTV.
Her tweet read, “I was at a protest march by some Indians in London against the terror attack in J&K. I was interviewing some people, when the crowd cornered me. Hooted me for being associated with NDTV. A lady said ‘you cannot be here’. One man said ‘ if you are an Indian, say bharat mata Ki jai‘.”
I was at a protest march by some Indians in London against the terro attack in J&K. I was interviewing some people, when the crowd cornered me. Hooted me for being associated with NDTV. A lady said ‘you cannot be here’. One man said ‘ if you are an Indian, say bharat mata Ki jai’
— Radhika Iyer (@RadhikaIyer_) February 17, 2019
Her subsequent tweet read, “This was a protest by Indians and people of Indian origin in London. Against terrorism. When suddenly in the middle of it, the focus was on me and the media channel I am associated with. I felt cornered, vulnerable and isolated amidst so many of my own fellow Indians!”
This was a protest by Indians and people of Indian origin in London. Against terrorism. When suddenly in the middle of it, the focus was on me and the media channel I am associated with. I felt cornered, vulnerable and isolated amidst so many of my own fellow Indians! @ndtv
— Radhika Iyer (@RadhikaIyer_) February 17, 2019
A Twitter user Pradeep Agrawal replied to her tweet and posted the video of the protest in question. He wrote, “That’s incorrect ma’am. I was there, very few people shouted against NDTV that I agree but didn’t hoot at you.”
In the video, a group of people that also included a man carrying a little child on his shoulders shouting ‘Down Down NDTV’ slogans without any provocation from Iyer. Soon, some of them are also heard hurling expletives in the presence of children.
That’s incorrect ma’am. I was there, very few people shouted against NDTV that I agree but didn’t hoot at you. @India_Policy pic.twitter.com/fQFob8nsPA
— Pradeep Agarwal (@pagarwal78) February 17, 2019
These Hindutva fanatics often invoke Bharatiya sanskar or Indian values while flying the flag of fake nationalism. The protest against the Pulwama attack in London appeared ironic in so many ways. First, these so-called patriots left India to settle in England as they clearly did not find their motherland worthy of living. Secondly, they were using expletives in the presence of their children, thereby throwing the so-called Indian values out of the window. Third, what kind of bravery one displays by harassing a fellow Indian, also a woman, surrounded by a group of violent hoodlums?
Writer and academic Ashok spoke for millions, when he wrote, “Hindu Diaspora lives in multi-cultural democracies, fights to protect its own rights as a minority, but at the same time, supports BJP in the homeland, which is anti-minority. Moreover, diaspora lives peacefully in luxury but wants the countrymen to fight war & kill themselves.”