A 22-year-old singer from Karnataka’s Shivamogga district was trolled on social media for singing a Hindu devotional song on a reality show.
Dressed in a burkha, Suhana Syed appeared on Zee Kannada’s Sa re ga ma pa and sang a Hindu bhajan in praise of gods. While she received a standing ovation from the judges on the show, Suhana came under attack on Facebook from a group called ‘Mangalore Muslims’.
“Suhana, you have tarnished the Muslim community. You wore a burkha and displayed your beauty in front of men while singing a song addressed to a god who is not of your religion and this is not an achievement. There are children who have learned to recite the Quran within six months. They are the true achievers. Your parents have allowed you to perform a sin by encouraging you to display your beauty and sing in front of men from other communities. Please discard the burkha you are wearing, you are not worthy of it,” the post read.
The post goes on to say that Suhana’s parents will go to hell as Allah would not forgive them for encouraging her to indulge in sin.
“If you think you can be a role model for other Muslim women, you are wrong. Don’t encourage god-fearing Muslim women to follow the path that you have taken. You will be responsible for their misery if they go to hell,” the post stated.
The judges after hearing Suhana sing, urged her to become a symbol of unity between the two communities. “Your voice is really good. You have done a fabulous job by singing a Hindu devotional song. You have become the symbol of unity and music,” Kannada Music Director Arjun Janya said on the show.
Acid Attack Threat for Kerala Law Student
In another case of cyber bullying, this time from Kerala, 22-year-old law student Azniya Ashmin from Nadapuram received an acid attack threat for not wearing a burkha in a photograph, she had posted on Facebook, a month ago.
The News Minute had in February reported about how social media trolling had crossed all limits after Azniya had posted a photograph on Facebook with her friends. Several Islamic fundamentalists took offence to her photo as she hadn’t conformed to the ‘religious ways of living’ by not covering her head, and instead wore a bindi and hung around with men belonging to other religions.
But the abusive comments and bullying has not ended for her. On 2 March, she received a threat from a Facebook profile named Muneer Dheera, saying she would face an acid attack if she speaks against Islam.
“If she speaks against Islam, she should be attacked with acid. When her face becomes ugly, let us see whether some will walk with her, touch her body,” the comment read. When another Facebook user questioned Muneer over his comments, he reiterated stating, “I am not going to ask your permission for an acid attack.”
Azniya had first filed a complaint with the Nadapuram police on 15 February against a number of IUML and MSF activists for circulating derogatory messages on online messaging platforms. Police have registered an FIR and filed a case of stalking under Section 354(D).
“I have complained to police twice regarding the torture I face. I have also complained at Vadakara SP office about a religious preacher who intentionally defamed me in a public event. He spoke abusively about me. Though he has not mentioned my name, through his description, everyone would know that he means me. Till now no action has been taken by police,” Azniya told The News Minute.
The law student also alleged that her family was receiving threat calls. “My brother who is in Dubai and my father get threat calls asking them to ‘correct’ me. But my family is supporting me,” she says.
Azniya has been trolled for every photograph she has posted on Facebook, with many comments warning her that she would go to hell for not following Islamic rules.
(This story was originally published on The News Minute.)
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