Images

India's Javed Akhtar under fire after asking victims to forgive woman who 'auctioned' Muslim women online

India's Javed Akhtar under fire after asking victims to forgive woman who 'auctioned' Muslim women online

The screenwriter believes that because the alleged Bulli Bai mastermind is an 18-year-old orphan, she deserves compassion.
Updated 05 Jan, 2022

Indian poet and screenwriter Javed Akhtar has landed himself in hot water after tweeting a suggestion that women victims can "educate" the 18-year-old alleged mastermind behind Bulli Bai — an app where Muslim women were offered for a sale — and forgive her.

The auction list on the application included the names and pictures of multiple Indian Muslim women, including Akhtar's wife Shabana Azmi, as well as other prominent Muslim women such as Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai.

This isn't the first time Muslim women have been targeted in this manner — last year, the 'Sulli Deals' also sought to auction off Muslim women. According to Al Jazeera, both Bulli and Sulli are derogatory terms associated with Muslim women in local slang.

Akhtar's January 5 tweet urged the women involved or "some of them" to meet the woman "and like kind elders make her understand that why what ever she did was wrong". He called for "compassion" and forgiveness, his reasoning being that the young woman had lost both her parents.

But his faulty reasoning was immediately called out on Twitter. One user told Akhtar to back off as he "is not a victim".

One person asked how being angry at losing her parents translated into auctioning women online.

One woman asked him to stop it. "If you can't not [sic] use your position and privilege to ask bigger questions and seek accountability, then please don't speak at all. This is not exceptional behaviour. This is majoritarian radicalisation that needs attention. Now."

One was appalled how "easy" it was for Akhtar to forgive the victim.

He also got called out for not applying the same principle of forgiveness and compassion when he filed a defamation case against Bollywood actor Kangana Ranaut.

Another user reminded the screenwriter that the young woman seemed to have little compassion herself.

People were angry at him for poking his nose in the matter.

Others were incredulous that he expected forgiveness at all.

Just two days earlier, Akhtar had criticised Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not speaking on the matter and for his silence on a Hindutva conclave held against Muslims.

It is easy for Javed Akhtar to call for forgiveness and compassion when he has no stake in the matter. The crimes were committed against Indian Muslim women and they alone should be allowed to make the choice whether to forgive or not. Men like Akhtar have no place in this discussion and definitely have no right to ask the victims to forgive someone. Based on his logic, losing her parents means the young woman should be exonerated of her crimes but not all people who lose their parents become criminals and try to sell women online.

Comments

Really Jan 05, 2022 04:31pm
What is his concern, when he is not the victim, and when he is , he does not forgives. He has nothing to do with Muslims as he himself have denounced any faith and shows closeness towards atheisms
Recommend (0)
Fastrack Jan 05, 2022 04:42pm
Unbelievable to what level even Muslim celebrities have to stoop to to survive in India.
Recommend (0)
ST Jan 05, 2022 04:52pm
She is 18 but her mind is of a 35 years evil monster. Shouldn't be spared.
Recommend (0)
Naseer Jan 05, 2022 04:57pm
A senile india....
Recommend (0)
Fareed Jan 05, 2022 04:58pm
Wise man’s wise decision.
Recommend (0)
Zulfiqar Jan 05, 2022 05:03pm
Javed Akhtar is confused.
Recommend (0)
Tadka Jan 05, 2022 05:04pm
a hypocrite to the core
Recommend (0)
Mhd Saleem Jan 05, 2022 05:05pm
Javed Akhtar is not for sale. He's been sold a long time ago.
Recommend (0)
Chooza Jan 05, 2022 05:06pm
Javed is full of it.
Recommend (0)
Zak Jan 05, 2022 05:06pm
Hand over the indian women auction muslim women, to the Taliban in Kabul. That will resolve the issue.
Recommend (0)
ali jaffery Jan 05, 2022 05:13pm
Eccentric person ! who are trying to please. Compassion is indeed a humane gesture but certsin deeds do require strong reaction and must not go unchecked.
Recommend (0)
Xxx Jan 05, 2022 05:36pm
Lol useless story
Recommend (0)
MansoorK Jan 05, 2022 05:43pm
Just excuse him. He's irrelevant when it comes to the difficulties Muslims are facing in the dimming India.
Recommend (0)
Akhtar ali Jan 05, 2022 05:49pm
Violence and hate against Muslims is usually tolerated and at the end the criminals will be not be punished?.
Recommend (0)
Truth be told Jan 05, 2022 05:52pm
So Muslim women caused the cancer in parents of the 18 year old female? Mr. Javed Akhtar should move to USA because with this reasoning he will be very easily able to sue his neighbours who sneeze in the direction of his house and he will successfully sue them for millions.
Recommend (0)
Sane Mind1st Jan 05, 2022 05:52pm
Women. Women. Women. Thats all i have to say.
Recommend (0)
Truth be told Jan 05, 2022 05:55pm
May be Javed his upset his household was not represented in the pics. What a pathetic loser. He probably needs to take up Hinduism.
Recommend (0)
Md. Shaikh Jan 05, 2022 05:56pm
They are talking as if they were really auctioned. It was web site with created with no actual functionality. So stop saying victims No one was auctioned
Recommend (0)
Ahmed Jan 05, 2022 06:01pm
That "auctioneer" is a misogynist. This reflects very badly on him not on his victims.
Recommend (0)
LgbtqX Jan 05, 2022 06:03pm
These people can't take a joke!!
Recommend (0)
Kk Jan 05, 2022 06:24pm
Javed Akhtar is a sycophant and groveller. He should be ashamed of himself.
Recommend (0)
Goldenspoon Jan 05, 2022 06:27pm
Please forgive the Kashmiris too as they are in a lockdown since 2 1/2 years
Recommend (0)
Javed Jan 05, 2022 06:37pm
Indian Muslims have such a slave, missive, subjugated, Stockholm syndrome mentality that it is doubtful to call them Muslim.
Recommend (0)
Saf Jan 05, 2022 06:38pm
@LgbtqX would it be a joke if it was your mum or sister on sale???
Recommend (0)
Multani Jan 05, 2022 06:47pm
We have greater things to worry about than an Indian celebrity’s statement , useless news.
Recommend (0)
Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad Jan 05, 2022 06:49pm
Once a cheater, always a fraudster and trickster.
Recommend (0)
Fast comment Jan 05, 2022 07:07pm
@Really Still he’s wise. Follow his advise.
Recommend (0)
Skeptic Jan 05, 2022 07:09pm
So much scorn heaped on Javed Akhtar, just for suggesting forgiveness for the misguided confused young woman!? Where are the Christians, who would otherwise are always ready to quote Jesus Christ about forgiveness or for those 'without sin to cast the first stone'?? The road to hell, is indeed paved with good intentions.
Recommend (0)
noor. Eng Jan 05, 2022 07:12pm
what if his own women folk were on the sales list?
Recommend (0)
fida Jan 05, 2022 07:15pm
Javed Akhtar has gone loco. Please stay with your poetry
Recommend (0)
LgbtqX Jan 05, 2022 07:49pm
@Saf It is not my culture but yours, look at Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria bro.
Recommend (0)
Jalal Jan 05, 2022 07:50pm
@Fastrack well this was only an online exhibition to attract attention but the Chinese bride sale is for real .
Recommend (0)
sach Jan 05, 2022 07:50pm
This app came up in past 60 days. But the inhuman tradition of Nikah Halala is alive and in practice since hundreds of years. Let's also discuss this practice.
Recommend (0)
Alih Kazmi Jan 05, 2022 08:05pm
What is the concept of forgiveness if you don't have power to punish.
Recommend (0)
Alih Kazmi Jan 05, 2022 08:07pm
@Zulfiqar Not confused but scared.
Recommend (0)
Alih Kazmi Jan 05, 2022 08:08pm
World's largest democRSSy.
Recommend (0)
Zahid Jan 05, 2022 08:41pm
Javed Akhtar better refrain from pleasing his lords by siding with the culprit and demeaning the victims
Recommend (0)
Shahid Jan 05, 2022 08:45pm
You need to turn whole India into a remedial class to bring about some change, if any. It is beyond belief to even think of such a fig of magnanimity let alone air it so generously.
Recommend (0)
Dr.Emile Unjom Jan 05, 2022 09:03pm
Let the ladies in the list decide their response, while the men be supportive of what they decide.
Recommend (0)
Aj Jan 05, 2022 09:15pm
Just focus on your poetry .
Recommend (0)
Vijay Jan 05, 2022 09:24pm
It shows that he has a big heart, "Long Live respected Javed Akhtar" !
Recommend (0)
Suresh Jan 05, 2022 09:35pm
Javed is fit for Pakistan to be as a hero.
Recommend (0)
Madaiyan Jan 05, 2022 09:50pm
Forgiveness is the best punishment!
Recommend (0)
Sridhar Raghunatha Rao Jan 05, 2022 09:52pm
By any standards, this act of "Online Sale" is heinous and an unforgivable act. No religion element should creep here.
Recommend (0)
Kulsoom Baloch Jan 05, 2022 10:25pm
What they want to prove?
Recommend (0)
Rami Jan 05, 2022 10:33pm
Javad akhtar out of line on this case!
Recommend (0)
mukul Jan 05, 2022 11:22pm
@Really he is allowed to express his own thoughts
Recommend (0)
mukul Jan 05, 2022 11:23pm
@Fastrack he does not need to stoop or rise He is a star and an intellectual India is a free country and he can speak his mind
Recommend (0)
Pak Pashtun Jan 05, 2022 11:32pm
@Zak Taliban are not supermen, just uncivilized same like Hindu fanatics who only know how to kill.
Recommend (0)
Ahmed p Jan 06, 2022 12:59am
Cannot trust Javad akhtar anymore.
Recommend (0)
Ali Jan 06, 2022 01:08am
Not good country for minorities particularly muslims, sikhs, jews and christians
Recommend (0)
Rajeshkumar Patel Jan 06, 2022 01:42am
@Javed Actually Indian Muslims are real headache for rest
Recommend (0)
El Cid Jan 06, 2022 02:28am
Ultimate demonstration of unconscionable depravity and cowardice!
Recommend (0)
Jeet Jan 06, 2022 03:53am
Javed Akhtar is awesome. Learn people.
Recommend (0)
Jeet Jan 06, 2022 04:20am
Javed Akhtar makes me proud as an indian. Probably last of the mohicans
Recommend (0)
TPA Jan 06, 2022 05:02am
Javed Akhtar is irrelevant
Recommend (0)
Vijay B. Jan 06, 2022 06:31am
@Naseer & @Fastrack Stop worrying about Muslims in India, Muslims in India are doing well and are just fine. You have more reason to worry about yourselves and other Muslims in Pakistan.
Recommend (0)
Rizwan Jan 06, 2022 07:42am
He is one of those who praised the Afghan Taliban. You can understand his mentality. At best a glorified Mullah.
Recommend (0)
MA Jan 06, 2022 09:14am
This says it , very difficult for them to survive in India - Poor souls.
Recommend (0)
mark Jan 06, 2022 01:46pm
shows Muslims hypocrisy ! when a minor Muslim boy was involved in nirbhaya rape case , Delhi govt tried him in juvenile court and was let scot free at that time Muslims did not say that if he was old enough to rape why was he not old enough to be punished for such a heinous crime but now they want to kill this 18 year old girl !
Recommend (0)
kash Jan 07, 2022 01:54pm
@Fastrack He not muslim. He has spoken about this at length
Recommend (0)