Loni case: Complaints registered against Swara Bhasker in Delhi, UP
What's the story
Two complaints have been lodged against Bollywood actress Swara Bhasker in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh yesterday in connection to the Ghaziabad assault video, as per reports. However, First Information Reports (FIRs) are yet to be filed. This comes a day after the Uttar Pradesh Police registered a case against Twitter, journalists, and a few Congress leaders for giving a communal angle to the incident.
Details
Rahul Gandhi, Asaduddin Owaisi, Twitter India head also named
The complaint, lodged at Delhi's Tilak Marg Police station by advocate Amit Acharya, names journalist/writer Arfa Khanum Sherwani, Twitter India's Asif Khan, and Twitter India MD Manish Maheshwari, alongside the Raanjhanaa actress. Meanwhile, Loni BJP MLA Nand Kishor Gurjar filed a complaint against Bhasker, Rahul Gandhi, and Asaduddin Owaisi at Loni border Police station, because "they were trying to give it a communal color."
Twitter Post
Here is the official notice
Police complaint filed in Tilak Marg Police Station against
— Bar Bench (@barandbench) June 17, 2021
1) Asif Khan
2) Swara Bhaskar
3) Arfa Khanum Sherwani
4) Twitter Inc
5) Twitter India
6) Manish Maheshwari, MD Twitter
For spreading hatred and giving communal colour to their tweets.#TwitterIndia @manishm #Twitter pic.twitter.com/8AtUFbT6oI
Social media
Bhasker is also getting trolled heavily on Twitter
Apart from the complaints, the Veere Di Wedding star is also receiving massive hate on the micro-blogging site. She had shared the viral video on June 14, and written, "I'm ashamed of what happens in the name of our Gods.." This angered many and, subsequently, the actress got involved in several online spats. The next day, Bhasker tweeted another controversial post, worsening things.
Twitter Post
This tweet angered the netizens beyond control
RW Sanghis vomiting on my timeline ‘coz Ghaziabad police named 3 Muslims. Jackasses the prime accused is literally a Pravesh Gujjar. The man is on camera forcing the old man to chant #JaiShriRam
— Swara Bhasker (@ReallySwara) June 15, 2021
Yes it is a desecration of my God and my religion and I’m ashamed.. as shud you be
Reaction
Heated timeline: Netizens alleged Bhasker was spreading fake news
Netizens said the video she shared was muted, and asked how could she prove her accusations in this case. Tagging Ghaziabad Police, many asked them to take action against Bhasker for spreading fake news. People also urged her to delete the tweet as the original post had been taken down. Ghaziabad Police's official handle also shared their update on the case in the replies.
Backstory
This is what sparked the entire debate
Bhasker's tweets were about a viral video, which shows an old Muslim man (Abdul Samad) getting assaulted by a group of men. In a separate video, he had alleged that the men had forced him to chant "Jai Shri Ram." Cops have maintained there was no communal angle in the case, and thus tweets made by Bhasker and others posed threat to "communal harmony."