On the 2nd of April, AajTak published a news report about a 63-year-old Ghanaian priest marrying a 12-year-old girl in Ghana. However, the Hindi news portal used the word “Pujari” instead of “Padri/Priest” giving the impression that the 63-year-old groom was a Hindu saint/priest and the incident is from India.
AajTak’s objectionable headline soon sparked outrage online. Several netizens called out the media outlet for writing pujari in the headline even though the 63-year-old groom was a traditional Ghanaian priest who married a 12-year-old girl in a ceremony as per the local community’s traditions and customs.
Following the outrage, AajTak tweaked the headline removing the word “pujari” and inserting “padri”. However, AajTak’s X post still has the old headline. The said post has received severe criticism from social media users. The outraging netizens are demanding an apology from AajTak in addition to the deletion of the said X post.
An X user wrote, “Stop spreading this fake news AajTak. Stop defaming Hindus just to get your impression clicks. @aajtak Hindus are being defamed by saying that this news from Ghana is from India. Apologize to Hindus Aajtak!”
आज तक यह फर्जी वाड़ा फैलाना बंद करो। अपना इंप्रेशन क्लिक पाने के चक्कर में हिंदुओं को बदनाम करना बंद करो। @aajtak
— KK NEHRA (@Krishan88701400) April 2, 2024
यह घाना की खबर भारत की बताकर हिंदुओं को बदनाम किया जा रहा है।
आज तक हिंदुओं से माफी मांगो! pic.twitter.com/wv0YQk5iVa
Notably, a 63-year-old priest Nuumo Borketey Laweh Tsuru XXXIII in West Africa’s Ghana married a 12-year-old girl in a customary wedding on Saturday in Nungua, Krowor. As the incident sparked outrage with many questioning how a 12-year-old girl had been married off to a 63-year-old man, the local community leaders defended the marriage and said that those criticising, lacked the understanding of these customs. These rituals included urging the young girl to prepare for her future role as a wife by increasing her ‘sex appeal’ using perfume given to her as a gift.
