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Sona says Rangoli's account shouldn't have been suspended, invites flak

Sona says Rangoli's account shouldn't have been suspended, invites flak

By Sagar
Apr 17, 2020
01:55 pm

What's the story

Singer Sona Mohapatra has been at the receiving end of criticism after she opposed the suspension of the Twitter account of Bollywood actor Kangana Ranaut's sister and spokesperson Rangoli Chandel. Rangoli's account was suspended on Thursday after she put out a series of controversial tweets. After the flak, Sona defended her views, saying she doesn't support Rangoli's hateful tweet and apologized to minority communities.

Context

Rangoli had called for mass killings of a community

Rangoli's account was suspended after she attacked a certain religious community, in light of the recent Moradabad stone-pelting incident. She even called for their mass killings. An excerpt from her contentious tweet read, "Make these mullas + secular media stand in a line and shoot them dead... f**k the history they may call us nazis who cares... (sic)"

Information

Reema Kagti, Kubbra Sait demanded action against Rangoli

Soon after Rangoli's tweet surfaced, many Twitter users including Bollywood celebrities like director Reema Kagti, actor Kubbra Sait and Sussanne Khan's sister Farah Khan Ali reported her account and demanded police action against her for inciting violence and spreading hatred.

Details

Sona said she supports Rangoli and Kangana's right to opinion

After Rangoli's account got suspended, a debate ensued on Twitter. In a tweet that has been widely condemned, Sona said that while she does not subscribe to Rangoli's views, she stands by her right to an opinion. Thereafter, fellow users asked if a call for genocide could be termed as a right to an opinion, and even questioned Sona's harassment allegations in wake of #MeToo movement.

Twitter Post

Here is the tweet from Sona

Clarification

Thereafter, Sona defended her views

After receiving backlash, Sona claimed she did not follow Rangoli's account and that she had not read the tweet which got the latter suspended. She opined that Twitter could have 'force deleted' Rangoli's "hideously worded" tweet, instead of outrightly suspending her account. The singer said she does not believe in cancel culture as doing so "only invites more such hate".

Twitter Post

Cancel culture is the worst formula for progress, said Sona

Apology

Sona also apologized to religious minorities

Following a string of attacks and counter-attacks, Sona offered an apology to religious minorities. "Just to be super Black & White & clear, I do apologise to all the Muslims & minorities for any thing I have said that might make you feel vulnerable. Twitter & it's amplified tweets don't tell you the whole story, (sic)" she wrote.

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Meanwhile, Rangoli does not wish to revive her account

Meanwhile, after her account got suspended, Rangoli accused Twitter of being "biased" and "anti-India." She added she does not wish to be back on the platform. "I have no desire of empowering such platforms with my perspective & honest opinions," she said in a statement.