Panchkula/Kolkata: At least 30 people have been killed and over 250 injured in the violence that erupted after the conviction of rapist Baba Ram Rahim by a special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court Friday afternoon.
The supporters of the Baba, had first attacked media persons and even torched several OB Vans. And later, they torched train coaches. Over hundred vehicles have been set on fire in Haryana, Punjab and Noida.
The violence has even been condemned by the High Court of Punjab and Haryana, respectively.
The scale of violence, was definitely a shocker (it was a scheduled court date and nothing happened suddenly), but what was more astonishing was that, even 8 hours of the violence, no Indian celebrity condemned it. Neither they did they stand by the two brave woman who have fought for 15 years against the influential baba.
Having browsed through all the hashtags on Twitter, including #RamRahimVerdict #HaryanaBurning #RamRahimSingh and #DeraVerdict, it became evident that only journalists and social activists condemned the violence. Neither any politician, nor Bollywood stars, sports personality or any influential Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) tweet a single line on the violence.
Interestingly, in United States, at least three CEOs had resigned when President Donald Trump had not condemned the racial attack in Charlottesville.
Strangely enough, some even supported the baba. Sakshi Maharaj, BJP MP came in support of the baba, while Madhu Purnima Kishwar, a journalist mentioned that why couldn’t courts issue similar verdicts for Islamists, giving reference of confiscation Dera property for the damage of property.
Only Rishi Kapoor, Rajneesh Gupta, a cricket statistician, and reality show host Raghu Ram condemned it. After 11 pm Nikhil Advani saluted the two brave women for their courage. Post mid-night Swara Bhaskar tweeted, but it did little to show solidarity for the issue .
Among the two prominent personalities from constitutional and social life, who condemned and stood with the rape survivors were President of India Ramnath Kovind and Nobel Laureate Kailash Satyarthi, respectively.
When celebrities condemn such incidents, it not only help in calming down mobs but also creates pressure on the government to take strict actions. But it seems, the followers of the rapist Baba matter more to our celebs than the human lives and the property damage caused by the violence.
With only a few days left for the final judgement, the lives of of the rape survivors, son of slain journalist who broke the story, and the judge seems to be under threat.
Ironically in such a grim situation, actor Sidharth Malhotra, used the chaos and controversy to promote his upcoming movie A Gentleman.
“It’s so sad to see the situation getting worse, and all because of a Baba apparently… I must say, how can people worship a person who has committed such a big crime? Sorry to say but he (Baba Ram Rahim) has ruined our culture and I can’t fathom what makes people still follow these fake god men so blindly,” said Shruti Chaturlal, founder and creator of Euphonic Yoga.
Senior journalist Ravish Kumar, who had mentioned in his Prime Time Show, that none from President to Prime Minister to any Chief Minister or opposition leaders, stood by the two women who exhibited exemplary courage.
“It is shameful that no one stood with the sadhvis, who fought this long a battle, all by themselves,” Ravish Kumar told to eNewsroom. He continued and questioned, “Will this country’s women not stand with these two sadhvis? How could it be happen? Where are the daughters who had forced the government to bend at the time of Nirbhaya?”
