BeyondHeadlines Correspondent
New Delhi: Recently a photograph and video of a girl carrying a placard went viral.
This photograph and video was taken by BeyondHeadlines and was shared by the same on its Facebook page.
The girl had come at Jantar Mantar on 26 June to protest against the lynching and brutal killing of Tabrez.
Now, many people have started manipulating her identity according to their own selfish agenda. These hate mongers went to the extent of sharing a fake photograph and profile of the girl claiming that she is a Muslim and her name is Sabiha Khan.
But the truth is that her name is Swati, not Sabiha and she is a student in Delhi. BeyondHeadlines contacted her to know if she is aware of the circulation of this fake image. Disappointingly yet courageously Swati condemn all these fake news herself and she has a message for all of her fellow citizens in this country.
Reproduced below is Swati’s reaction for BH readers.
Yes I stood up for Tabrez and many like him whether they were Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs, Christians or anyone else. I and many like me stand for humanity for which this country is known for. I spoke against hate and I feel only Love can conquer it.
That night when we protested against the mob lynching of Tabrez, I went like any other disappointed citizen tired of explaining both my Hindu and Muslim friends that these crimes are there to divide us and the day we stop getting divided at any cost, the crimes will stop. I have been standing against all the atrocities that happen in our country in the name of religion or caste like that of Pehlu Khan, Akhlaq, Ankit Saxena, Najeeb, Dr. Payal Tadvi, etc. I have been part of many protests.
I feel that I carry a responsibility as an Indian and also a part of Hindu family to defend my own Hindu community that we do not wish to harm any life. I wish to give this message to our Muslim community that THEY ARE US.
Many people online did what-aboutery in this case but I wish they understood that people like me are not selective, its the politicians who sometimes are selective because they desire votes, not people like us. I feel bad as well because some of my own college mates harassed me online for propagating our constitutional duty as citizens of India.
A-51A of the Indian Constitution says that it is our Fundamental duty to abide by the Constitution and respect its ideals, to promote harmony and the spirit of common brotherhood amongst religious, linguistic and regional or sectional diversities.
I just did my fundamental duty as a law abiding citizen of India and I hope our parliamentarians and their supporters understand that respecting and abiding by the constitution is the biggest national duty one can do as a civilian. I hope we all stay strong and together no matter what happens. This country stands on love and it will stand tall forever.
India has a VIBGYOR colour, no colour can dominate the other. We are a country with colourful problems and colourful solutions. Therefore, I reject to be the colourblind citizen of India.
Thank you.
Your fellow citizen of India.
