Uday Rana, profiling himself as a freelance ‘journalist’ and writer, previously worked for reputed media houses like Times Network and CNN-News18, took to Twitter to share his experience while he was on a flight from Delhi to Toronto last week.
In his now-deleted Tweet, Uday Rana lamented that a Gujarati lady sitting to his right on the flight did not speak a word with him or rather contribute to his discussions with a Sikh man on his left. He said that he was discussing the ongoing farmer’s protests and “our dear leader” (an obvious reference to PM Narendra Modi) with the Sikh man sitting to his left. Rana cheekily admits speaking in “colourful” Punjabi language, yet whines that the woman did not speak to him (when he said ‘colourful language’, the obvious reference is to the use of filthy, abusive language).
He wrote: “I had a flight from Delhi to Toronto last week. To my left was a Sikh from Ferozpur. To my right was a Gujarati woman ordering vegetarian meals. The Sikh and I were discussing farmers protest & our Dear Leader in, errr, “colourful” Punjabi. Gujju woman didn’t speak a word to me”. After being called out for his chutzpah, the ‘journalist’ quietly deleted his Tweet.
Soon after his Tweet, many social media users warned him, that most people are aware of what “colourful” language means. They slammed the ‘journalist’ for his pervert and misogynistic mindset.
For the uninitiated, the word “colourful” is often used euphemistically to refer to vulgar, rude, obscene, abusive and/or filthy language. Firstly, for any respectable man to be using filthy language to converse in public itself is shameful, and then to expect a woman to respond to his “colourful” dialect is even more sickening.
Miffed by Uday Rana’s twisted mindset, a social media user opined that it is because of people like him, that the MeToo campaign is necessitated. Sharing Uday Rana’s Tweet, the Twitter user wrote: “This is why #MeToo was needed. Public harassment, sexual innuendo and leering. Perverts galore, and we all know what “colourful” Punjabi is.”
This is why #MeToo was needed. Public harassment, sexual innuendo and leering. Perverts galore, and we all know what “colourful” Punjabi is. https://t.co/2b2RoNaPkJ
— राम गिलहरी (@Ateendriyo) January 23, 2021
Others too slammed tha ‘journalist’ for his “creepy mindset”.
Men so entitled that they think that every woman they encounter should be desperate to speak with them. Not sure why he has a thing for Gujju women specifically but damn that’s creepy.
— Chitra / 칱라 (@MyBookJacket) January 23, 2021
Creepy fucktard, and this fetishization of women is puke worthy. The good lady should’ve asked the airline staff for help.
— राम गिलहरी (@Ateendriyo) January 23, 2021
Some called him a coward for, firstly deleting his Tweet after being called out, then blocking social media users who pointed out his mistake.
🤣🤣🤣 COWARD !!!! pic.twitter.com/EAUggdesGU
— Nemo (@Insomniac_Nemo) January 23, 2021
Uday Rana has now posted a thread of Tweet in his defence. After being rebuked for admitting using “colourful” dialect, Rana says that he was not swearing but just talking loudly on the flight.
Deleted that last tweet because I realise it was in bad taste. I didn’t swear or anything on the flight, but it was problematic. I just assumed the Gujarati woman was a Modi supporter.
— Uday Rana (@UdaySRana) January 23, 2021
I do have a problem with vegetarians who change their body language or try to sit away from you when you’re eating meat. “Pure veg” is a casteism.
— Uday Rana (@UdaySRana) January 23, 2021
He insinuates that the lady had a problem with him eating non-vegetarian food and goes on to call “Pure veg” casteism, without realising that he is opening another can of worms by putting out this Tweet. People slammed him for profiling others based on their race and region and called for action against the ‘journalist’.
The original tweet by Uday Rana and the explanation itself gives us a window of insight to the casteist, bigoted and hateful mind that such elements harbour. Those who hate the Prime Minister often harbour intense hatred for Gujaratis because according to their perception, it is them who first made the then CM of Gujarat successful enough as a politician to be elected as the Prime Minister. Further, his thread reeks of sexism since he was not only using abusive language, but assumed that the lady was being bigoted by not engaging with someone who was being blatantly uncouth and making a woman uncomfortable.
Further, his explanation itself also exposes his dangerous mindset. He says that he despises most of the population of the country since they voted for a leader he does not like. Further, he judges vegetarians because according to him, they physically distance themselves for non-vegetarians while they eat. However, branding it as casteism is purely evil and might we say, motivated Hindu-hate dressed up as activism. Vegetarians tend to physically distance themselves because most of them cannot really handle the smell of non-veg food, as is perfectly natural since they don’t consume meat. Branding that as casteism appears to be his motivated agenda to brand anyone who does not hail him for his arrogance and crass behaviour and demonise them so they get ostracised from the society.
It becomes evidence that a large swath of people, consumed by their hatred for the Prime Minister have lost basic civility where they take pride in being uncouth, arrogant, abusive and making a woman uncomfortable and then demonising her for not indulging them.
