Geneva: Expressing shock over the repeated incident of targeting
women, including many Indian scribes in social media, the global media
safety and rights body Press Emblem Campaign (PEC) demands proper
actions against the individuals behind the ‘Bulli Bai’ online
application.
It may be mentioned that over a hundred women, largely Muslim
personalities, were listed with doctored photographs in the app as
readied for online auction (to sell as maids) in the first week of
January 2022. Those included in the list belong to various professions
including journalism. Lately the app is being closed down.
This is not the first time that a group of women is put on public
auction. A similar humiliating app ‘Sulli Deals’ was made public in
July 2021 targeting nearly 80 minority community women. Though there
was no actual auction, the initiative was enough to abuse the women,
who remained otherwise vocal against various injustices.
Meanwhile, a police complaint has been lodged in the capital city of
India after a number of women activists expressed their dismays over
the app. After New Delhi, similar complaints were also registered in
Mumbai city also under various sections of Indian laws dealing with
gender bias, sexual harassment, religious enmity, etc.
“We urge the Indian federal government in New Delhi to take necessary
actions against the perpetrators. Virtual attacks against the
journalists are seemingly aimed to discourage them in performing their
duties, which can not be accepted,” said Blaise Lempen,
secretary-general of PEC (www.pressemblem.ch)
PEC’s India representative Nava Thakuria informed that the Mumbai
police have already detained three students (including a young lady,
understood as the prime suspect) involved in the case and continued
the investigation. Meanwhile, the information technology minister
Ashwini Vaishnaw assured all support for justice to the affected
individuals.
