The India media including those accused of having surrendered their editorial freedom to the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi has suddenly woken up from their slumber and remembered that an 8-year-old child was gang-raped and murdered, even though the ghastly act took place more than three months ago.
Among those who’ve expressed their outrage also include known BJP supporters and Muslim haters in the India media. But, they taking a firm stand against the perpetrators who brutalised the child has come as a breath of fresh air. Aside from journalists, activists and commentators, Bollywood too have spoken out while demanding justice for the little child from Kathua, whose crime was that she belonged to a nomad Muslim family.
Farhan Akhtar wrote, “Imagine what goes through the mind of an 8 yr old as she is drugged, held captive, gang raped over days and then murdered.
If you don’t feel her terror, you are not human. If you don’t demand Asifa get justice, you belong to nothing.”
Usually vocal about such acts of crime, Amitabh Bachchan has been silence on this matter and no one is surprised. His son Abhishek simply tweeted a photo of the girl with a hashtag #Asifa. Job done and the box ticked.
Lyricist Javed Akhtar wrote, “Who was Asifa ? She was an eight years old daughter of Bakerwals. Who are Bakerwals ? A nomad tribe who when spotted the Kargil intruders promptly informed the army .Who are the people who are trying to protect the rapists of this little girl . ? Now it is your turn to answer.”
Actor Priyanka Chopra tweeted, “How many more children like baby Asifa will be sacrificed at the intersect of religion & politics? How many more children will have to suffer unimaginable crimes before we wake up? I’m disgusted. It’s time for swift action. We owe it to Asifa and to humanity. #justiceforAsifa.”
And there were many others, who too expressed their outrage against the 8-year-old child’s tormentors. However, it’s the tweet posted by actor Huma Qureshi, which will haunt all of us for a long time, until justice is delivered to the victim and her rapists and killers face death sentences.
Huma posted a photo of holding a placard, which read, “I am Hindustan.I am Ashamed. #JusticeForAasifa. 8 years old. Gangraped. Murdered.
In ‘Devi’-sthaan temple. #Kathua”
Her tweet was in response to the charge-sheet, which stated how the 8-year-old victim was kept confined inside a Hindu temple for days as she was gang-raped by Hindutva fanatics. One police officer then requested that he be allowed to rape for one last time before killing the victim. Another rapist, a juvenile, then trampled over the little child’s neck to ensure she was dead.
Several other stars from the entertainment industry have written similar placards to express their outrage. They included music director Vishal Dadlani, Shruti Seth and rapper Badshah.
#JusticeForAasifa #ActNow pic.twitter.com/jDlPrg4eBt
— GABRU GHATAK (@Its_Badshah) April 13, 2018
Don’t stay silent. For once raise your vocies collectively. #JusticeforAsifa #justiceforUnnao #JusticeForOurChild #WakeUpTheGovernment #ArrestTheGuilty #raperoko@VishalDadlani pic.twitter.com/iKdFMq6VQu
— Caralisa Monteiro (@runcaralisarun) April 13, 2018
Ab bhi jiska khoon na khaula, khoon nahin woh paani hai.#JusticeForAsifa #JusticeForUnnao #JusticeForOurChild #WakeUpTheGovernment#ArrestTheGuilty
Don't let this matter be pushed aside by the news-cycle driven media. Raise your voice, put up your own pictures and tag me. pic.twitter.com/hf5oj3uyBJ
— VISHAL DADLANI (@VishalDadlani) April 13, 2018
I am Hindustan.
I am ashamed. #justiceforourchild
8 years old! GANGRAPED!!!
MURDERED in ‘devi’sthan TEMPLE #kathua pic.twitter.com/Wm3Tf3o0ow— Shruti Seth (@SethShruti) April 13, 2018
What has really shaken the conscience of sane people in India and abroad is how Hindutva zealots masquerading as lawyers, judge and politicians came out in the open in support of the rapists and killers of the Kathua girl.