Back on January 1, controversy erupted on social media, when the Bulli Bai app, on hosting platform Github, posted the photos of a number of Muslim women, including journalists, social workers, students and famous personalities, without their permission. The website listed the women for ‘auction’ in what appeared to be a clone of the banned app ‘Sulli Deals’ which had triggered a similar row around six months back.
While the case itself caused a major uproar on social media, a number of celebrities too were appalled by the social media post. Film actor and filmmaker Farhan Akhtar tweeted, “This is sickening!! Request authorities to take swift and strict action against the people behind this grotesque act,” while referring to the incident.
Similarly, Swara Bhasker described the content on the app Bulli Bai as “vomit worthy.” She went on to say, “Impunity and total lack of accountability. We are making ourselves monsters!” She also wrote, “At that point where we’ve to remind ourselves that it’s not okay to SELL MUSLIM WOMEN ONLINE! Remind ourselves that it’s not kosher to rally & call for genocide! That it’s not okay to disrupt people’s prayers. This is happening in our name, in the name of our Gods. It’s on us!”
Richa Chadha lauded the journalist who brought this latest episode of online targeting of Muslim women to light and expressed her solidarity.
Television actress Shruti Seth too raised her voice, writing, “We’re auctioning women online! This is what has become of us as a society. And then we get upset when we rank high in unsafe for solo female travellers? The ones who live here aren’t safe to begin with Beyond disgusting #BulliDeals”
However, he was attacked by trolls and subsequently hit back, “The moment I raised my voice against the online auction of women n those glorifying Godse n preaching genocide to the army police n people some bigots have started abusing my great-great-grandfather a freedom fighter who died in kala pani in 1864 What do you say to such idiots.”
Meanwhile, the Mumbai Police Cyber cell arrested a 21-year-old Bengaluru engineering student, who was detained and interrogated Monday evening. The man, Vishal Kumar, was produced before Bandra court in Mumbai on Tuesday afternoon. The court has sent him to police custody till January 10.
The Mumbai police has also detained the main accused in the case, a woman from Uttarakhand. Cops say both Kumar and the woman are friends.
