Humans of Hindutva, the popular Facebook page which often posted political satire targeting right-wing fundamentalism, has called it quits. The page would often take on the Hindutva brigade by lampooning current events focusing on gau rakshaks, moral policing, casteism, religious discrimination, etc.
Late on Thursday evening, the administrator of Humans of Hindutva decided on deleting the Facebook page after having received several death threats. Writing on his website Satyanash, the administrator, who wishes to remain anonymous, wrote, “I’m quitting out of my own accord. I’ve not been banned or mass reported. I have recently received some threats to my life which I can’t take lightly.”
ALSO READ: Hindutva groups protest, threaten to kill ‘Game of Ayodhya’ director Sunil Singh
He went on to state, “I am outnumbered, live in a BJP state and come from a middle-class family with no political or police connections. I have no desire to end up like Gauri Lankesh or Afrazul Khan,” before revealing his intentions to delete the website too. “Congratulations to Hindutva on winning this David vs. Goliath fight.”
(Courtesy: Facebook/Humans of Hindutva)
The administrator’s decision to kibosh the project, he so enthusiastically began some months ago, establishes yet again that India today may be too sensitive for political humour.
Guess no one’s having the last laugh here. Because we just don’t laugh anymore.#HumansOfHindutva you did your bit. https://t.co/6QQUCWqATs
— Zahabia Rajkotwala (@Zahabia15) December 29, 2017
So sad that the page called Humans of Hindutva had to be taken down. Freedom of expression is a joke in this country!
— Meghna Roy (@meghna_roy_) December 28, 2017
@narendramodi Sir, why force humans of hindutva to shut down ??? is it cause your party workers cant take a joke or is it that they are so illiterate to understand a joke ?? ppl are fed up wit your fake persona , do good and u will be blessed else the curses will continue
— Niketan.J.Mehra (@drnosostrange) December 29, 2017
Because democracy for common people is to be denied freedom of speech and expression and for politicians is to openly give death threats #IncredibleIndia #HumansOfHindutva https://t.co/ix4KEqNBDB
— Future Amnesia (@NaitriPatel2) December 29, 2017
It seems Facebook is increasingly becoming a platform for people who wish to divide people, and not for those who ridicule these divisive tactics.https://t.co/QMXZTps227
— Meghnad (@Memeghnad) December 29, 2017
DailyO Editor Jairaj Singh posted a tweet stating that the phone number of Humans of Hindutva’s administrator had made its way to trolls, who threatened his life.
Had a brief chat with my friend who runs the Humans of Hindutva page. He told me that trolls have got a hold of his phone number and they’re sending him death threats. He’s scared for his wife and children, so he’s shut the page for now. The nation can’t take a joke.
— Jairaj Singh (@JairajSinghR) December 28, 2017
Back in September too, the parody page had decided to deactivate the page saying that he realised it was “not worth a bullet in my fucking head.” However, the page returned from its brief slumber after seeing the boastful response from right-wing supporters. “I guess to stop now would be to play into the hands of the fascists I despise so I guess I’ll keep this going for a little longer.” he wrote.
ALSO READ: Gauri Lankesh and 10 other Indian journalists who paid the ultimate price for doing their job
“I have received so many death threats that I have lost count. I have had so many strangers abuse my family that it doesn’t even rattle me anymore. I have had several people threaten to take me to court or file an FIR. All this for the simple crime of running a satirical page which takes pot shots at Hindutva (not Hinduism) and the politicians who cater to it,” he had written for The Wire back in October.
(Courtesy: Facebook/Humans of Hindutva)
However, it now seems that the administrator has learnt that the playing field was never levelled, to begin with — a realisation which some deemed wise and others dismissed as cowardice.
You cannot fight from a room staying anonymous. Accept death or else get in line. #HumansOfHindutva
— daniel langthasa (@langthasadaniel) December 29, 2017
Lol
He is Cracking jokes on modi after Getting Death threats
Scared Admin of Humans of Hindutva. pic.twitter.com/B4ayGAFERi— Sagar (@TheMarathaBoy) December 29, 2017
Sorry folks, #HumansOfHindutva remains an anonymous troll whose word about threats cannot be taken on face value until he & his friends in media submit proof. He is a coward; there are hundreds of people in India who abuse the government without the cloak of anonymity.
— Aarti Tikoo Singh (@AartiTikoo) December 29, 2017
Copyright © 2024 IE Online Media Services Private Ltd. All Rights Reserved.