Facebook users claiming to be supporters of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena have issued rape and murder threats to a woman who put up a post criticising the party’s use of violence to evict hawkers from the city’s streets. Threats were also issued to the woman’s husband for defending her.
The woman, a resident of Mira Road, posted the message slamming the MNS’s acts of vandalism against hawkers on Facebook on October 31. She said the expansion of MNS was Makad (monkey) Nirman Sena. The victim’s husband, an advocate, said, “She not only slammed the MNS but also questioned the corrupt practices of government officials that led to hawkers crowding the streets.”
The post, which still shows up on her Facebook timeline, asked whether the MNS was attacking hawkers because they were soft targets. She also criticised Congress Mumbai chief Sanjay Nirupam for playing politics over the the issue.
The woman said, “The messages are so brutal that I can’t even read them again. And this comes from a party that idolises Shivaji Maharaj. I don’t know what is offensive in being called a monkey. Even by mythological logic, Lord Ram too had monkey army with him. The activists could have engaged in a rational debate.”
However, the alleged online supporters of the MNS were offended by the use of the word ‘monkey,’ and hurled abuses at the woman. A few trolls called her a prostitute. The woman’s husband said, “They used absolutely filthy language which we have never heard in our life. I must admit that I too lost my control while replying to these trolls and replied twice in the same language. I don’t know how I turned into being one of them. I should have controlled myself.”
The husband said that a few people called him up and issued threats. He said, “When I warned them that I would complain to the police, they ridiculed me saying that they had many cases against their namesand adding one more to that list would not matter.”
Party condemns abuse
On Friday, party leader Sandip Deshpande has condemned the online trolls and distanced itself from the abuses hurled at the woman. Mr. Deshpande said, “I am not aware of such trolling, and if it has happened we condemn it. We do not support use of such language against anyone. We will continue to do what we do, but do not support harming a woman’s honour.”
Meanwhile, the MNS has launched an online campaign asking citizens to take a pledge that they will not buy goods from hawkers. The party has sent out an appeal asking people to share videos of them taking the pledge.