Muslim women on sale : ‘Auction Listing’ was circulated over social media
Delhi Police have registered an FIR under section 509 of the Indian Penal Code on the complaint of the woman journalist claiming photos of hundreds of Muslim women were uploaded on a group called ‘Bulli Bai’. FIR has been registered in the Cyber Police station of the South-East District.
The FIR was illustrated by a women journalist with the Cyber Cell of Delhi Police for immediate and consequent action against people behind the auctioning of Muslim women on social media.
Complaint is all about
On Saturday, a woman journalist shared an image of her being sold on the Bulli Bai app as ‘deal of the day. Taking to Twitter, the journalist said it was “very sad that as a Muslim woman you have to start your new year with this sense of fear & disgust.”“To “sell” someone online is a cybercrime & I call on the police to take immediate action.
The perpetrators deserve exemplary & condign punishment,” Congress leader Shashi Tharoor wrote on Twitter.”It is indeed disappointing to see the impunity with which such hate mongers continue to target Muslim women, without fear of sanction whatsoever. Based on tweets posted on the Delhi Police handle, I believe that Delhi police has ‘taken cognizance’ of this offence,” the complaint read.
The journalist, who was among the women named in the app, took to Twitter informing that her complaint has been registered and a case under IPC sections 153A (Promoting enmity on grounds of religion etc), 153B (Imputations prejudicial to national integration), 354A & 509 for sexual harassment has been filed.
The journalist has claimed that a group called ‘Bulli Bai’ was created like ‘Sulli Deals’ on GitHub, which would collect photos of Muslim women from their social media accounts and encourage people to participate in their “auction”. Several women, whose photos were posted on the group, took to social media to complain to the police.
I-T minister Ashwini Vaishnav asked to heed immediate action
Grabbing cognizant of the episode, Information and Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnav explained that the government is coordinating with police organisations in Delhi and Mumbai on this matter.
Also, the perpetrator’s account had been blocked by GitHub and police and Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) were investigating the matter, he said.
The National Commission for Women on Twitter said that it has taken cognisance of the incident and that the chairperson, Rekha Sharma, wrote to the Commissioner of Police in Delhi, Rakesh Asthana, to immediately register an FIR in the matter.
Earlier, the Delhi Police said they have taken cognisance of the matter and that concerned officials have been asked to take action. While Mumbai cyber police have initiated a probe in connection with the objectionable content.
Opposition leader demand strict action
Leaders of several political parties demanded quick and more effective action against the perpetrators.
In a tweet in Hindi Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said, “The humiliation and communal hatred towards women will stop only when we all stand against it in one voice. The year has changed – now we have to speak up!”While Congress MP Shashi Tharoor wrote, “It’s high time our Delhi Police got cracking. Disgraceful that people of such a mentality exists but if they are allowed to get away with it they will repeat the offence at the next opportunity.
“Shiv Sena leader and Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi wrote, “For context, no arrests, however, sites blocked. In the reemergence of Bulli Deals after Sulli Deals, here are my letters to Hon.
IT Minister dated July 30 and September 6, 2021. Received a response on November 2. The clubhouse auctioning was to be my zero-hour intervention.
“What was the Sulli deals case about?
On July 4, 2021, several Twitter users shared screenshots of an app named ‘Sulli Deals’ that was created by an unidentified group on GitHub. It had put photos of Muslim women with the tagline “Sulli deal of the day”.’Sulli’ is a derogatory term used against women.
The app creators used photos of Muslim women from their social media accounts and encouraged people to participate in their “auction”. Two FIRs were filed by the Delhi and Uttar Pradesh Police in the ‘Sulli Deals’ controversy.
What is ‘Bulli Bai’, the dubious app that targets Muslim women on social media?
The app was allegedly found auctioning pictures of Muslim women, months after some unidentified persons created a similar app ‘Sulli deals’ where photographs of hundreds of Muslim women were uploaded and auctioned.
Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi said she has repeatedly asked the Union information technology minister Ashwini Vaishnav to take stern action against “rampant misogyny and communal targeting of women through #sullideals like platforms.”
‘A shame that it continues to be ignored,” she added. Photos of Muslim women again misused on the app.’
Vaishnav informed that GitHub has confirmed blocking the user on Saturday morning and CERT and Police authorities are coordinating further action. Responding to the minister, Chaturvedi said “besides blocking the platform punishing the offenders creating such sites is important.”
Updated by Zeba Gouhar