Justice for Asifa: How the Social Media Reacts to the 8 Day Long Rape and Murder of the 8 Year Old

The Indian social media, at present echoes demanding Justice for Asifa, an 8-year-old Kashmiri girl who was brutally raped for 8 days inside a temple and then murdered. The violence that took place in January is now drawing the cover page attention everywhere, including social media.

Asifa Bano, belonging to a Muslim nomad family of Kathua, Jammu and Kashmir, was first kidnapped and then raped for days inside a Hindu temple. Reportedly, she was given sedatives, tortured heinously. As per BBC news report, “she was strangled to death and then hit on the head twice with a stone.”

The monstrous event took place entirely in the name of religion, exposing once again the adverse relationship between the Kashmir valley and Indian state, since the Kashmir armed revolt in 1989. The Indian social media has raised its voice against such sadism, especially, when religious insanity is becoming no less than a threat to humanity.

Several posts are made viral on how a child, an innocent life could be destroyed in the name of ‘Hindutva’ or ‘Hinduism’. The country, which is portrayed to the foreign tourists as ‘Unity in Diversity’ and alike is now witnessing such religious disgraces by a few extremists. Meanwhile, a comment by Indian Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has sparked public outrage, “One small incident of rape in Delhi advertised world over is enough to cost us billions of dollars in terms of global tourism,", referring to 2012 Nirbhaya gang rape inside a bus that shook the entire nation.

Social media protests on platforms like Facebook, Twitter are holding responsible the Modi Govt. as well for its indolent approach towards such atrocities. Although, the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared, “Incidents being discussed since past two days cannot be part of a civilised society. As a country, as a society we all are ashamed of it. I want to assure the country that no culprit will be spared, complete justice will be done. Our daughters will definitely get justice,”.

While some netizens are speculating whether Modi’s declarations were results of the excessive amount of pressure, some are urging fellow users to sign a petition demanding ‘Justice for Asifa’ at the earliest on social media. If you want your voice to be heard against all such inhumanity: https://www.change.org/p/sushma-swaraj-stand-for-asifa-we-want-safety-as-woman.

The way Senior Superintendent of Police Ramesh Kumar Jalla and team completed the case investigation in record time, despite enormous pressure from local Lawyers’ association and people of ‘Hindu Ekta Manch’ is being praised, thanks to the articles and blog posts.

Indians, who don’t spare an inch to Pakistan team on cricket battles, are now comparing Asifa rape and murder case, to a similar event in Pakistan. A 7-year-old girl child rape and murder cruelty that perceived nationwide protest in demand of public executions for raping children under 14.

A number of Indian celebrities have taken to social media in protest namely Priyanka Chopra, Sonam Kapoor, Anushka Sharma, Prakash Raj, Ravindra Jadeja, Nawazuddin Siddiqui amongst others.

Several Facebook pages are overflowing with pledges to come forward, think beyond communalism and stand united for the sake of humanity. Some named it so appropriately, ‘Incredible India’!