'Bulli Bai' app to intimidate the courageous minority women, says Mariam Dhawale

'Bulli Bai' incident is basically to intimidate and scare the courageous minority women who are raising their voices against injustice, says Mariam Dhawale

After ‘Sulli Deals’, the demeaning ‘Bulli Bai’ has hit the social media targeting Muslim women. Women activists feel that the latest episode, which came in six months, would not have happened if police had taken action against the perpetrators in the first incident. Five women’s organisations have now petitioned President Ram Nath Kovind seeking his immediate intervention in the issue. Mariam Dhawale, General Secretary of All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA), spoke to DH’s Shemin Joy.

The New Year started on a bitter note for women. We now see 'Bulli Bai'. This comes months after the 'Sulli Deals'. How do you see this kind of incident?

This is basically to intimidate and scare the courageous minority women who are coming forward and raising their voices against injustice and against any kind of atrocities being committed on them. These are the tactics being used in this kind of political atmosphere where the BJP-RSS regime is ruling. They are targeting minorities and we can see that there is no kind of action being taken against the attackers.This is further encouraging these goons.

Do you think the action taken when ‘Sulli Deals’ came up was insufficient and it further gave an impetus for those behind the ‘Bulli Bai’ to come up?

Absolutely. When the FIR was filed, the first thing the Minister said was that the website or App was blocked. But no penal action was taken. The perpetrators were not arrested. Unfortunately, the atmosphere in this country has come to mean that people who are committing crimes against minorities are not touched. The latest is the Dharma Sansad where open calls were given to kill minorities are being protected. Nothing is happening. According to the ‘manuvaadis’, they are not anti-nationals. At the same time, false cases are imposed on those who are raising voices against injustice and atrocities. This trend is what we have to fight against now.

Also read: Bengaluru man detained by Mumbai Police in connection with 'Bulli Bai' app case

What are you going to do?

Five women organisations -- NFIW, AIDWA, AIPWA, PMS and AIMSS -- have jointly written to the President on Monday seeking his intervention. We have said in the letter that we have unfortunately witnessed the most disgusting display of brazen misogyny for the second time in less than a year. This is done to humiliate and terrorise courageous Muslim women who were writing and protesting against injustice and corruption. The letter has said that FIRs against those responsible were filed in UP and Delhi but, unfortunately, no action was taken. The letter also said that inaction is part of a trend in which sections of the administration and even the judiciary remain spectators to criminal acts perpetrated against the minorities. We have also reminded the President that this latest atrocity has occurred at a time public meetings are being held where so-called Hindu religious leaders are openly calling for genocidal attacks against them with impunity.

Do you think the latest episode is a right-wing agenda to further corner the secular sections of the society?

Yes, very much. It is not just the secular space. It is to finish off everybody who is trying to raise their voice, who are espousing progressive, democratic, secular values in our country. The BJP-RSS wants to change our Constitution according to their ‘manuvadi’ value system.

Also read: DCW summons Delhi Police in connection with probe into 'Bulli Bai', 'Sulli Deal' cases

For them, do you think empowered women are a problem?

Yes. For them, women have to be subordinate, subdued and should not raise their voice.

These attacks also come at a time the government is proposing to increase the age of marriage of girls from 18 years to 21 years. Do you think this is an attempt towards Uniform Civil Code?

I wouldn’t say it is on the way to Uniform Civil Code. It is on the way to imposing the ‘manuvaadi’ cultural system in the country. We have said it cannot be a Uniform Civil Code but a gender-just Code.

Why are you opposed to increasing the age of marriage of girls?

There are several issues involved in this. The argument given by the government is of education and malnutrition. Both arguments fall flat. We believe that the concerns about maternal and child health can be much more effectively addressed by improving the nutritional status of girls and women throughout their lives, while also protecting and promoting their autonomy; specifically the right of adult women to make decisions about marriage and motherhood without coercion and force applied by family, community, vigilante organisations, or government. Also, if implemented, it will criminalise consensual marriages among adults and end up curtailing the autonomy of adult women. Also, how can you put a boy in jail for a consensual relationship just because you have raised the age of marriage and criminalised a consensual relationship? Since 2000, there are reports, teenage marriages have come down by 51%. There is a government report in 2019 which says the mean age of marriage has increased to 22.1 years. This means girls and boys don’t want to get married early. So where are these marriages happening? Basically, they are people who are extremely poor who have no means of livelihood and education. Financial independence is a basic necessity for empowering women whereas India is facing the highest unemployment amongst women since Independence. The government has not been able to solve this. Without solving any of these factors, it is taking up this decision which is misleading the people of India.

Watch latest videos by DH here: