On Monday (January 30), a popular Twitter user (@softgrowl) took to the micro-blogging platform to falsely attribute a case of family dispute to caste-based discrimination.
“This Dalit girl is being beaten mercilessly for bathing in the river and contaminating the water,” she claimed while trying to insinuate the role of ‘Brahmins’ in the heinous crime.
While falsely trying to discover a caste angle, the Twitter user added, “75 years of Independent India, where water has more importance than women.” She had also attached a video of a woman, who was being beaten with sticks by a group of men.
Soon after, her followers began responding to her misleading tweet with disparaging comments against the Brahmin community.
“Brahmins, you are destined for worse things than Hell. How did you brainwash people, divide them into sects, and normalise untouchability? Wake up SC, ST, OBC and understand the conspiracy of the upper caste,” wrote one Twitter user (@Qutub_minarwala)
One Twitter user invoked the ‘Gau mutra’ jibe to slander the Hindu community. “Gau mutra (Cow urine) can cleanse everything. Why did they beat the girl? Did they want to spill the blood of the victim before cleaning the river with gau mutra,” the user claimed.
The ‘gaumutra’ jibe has been used by Islamists and their apologists, to mock Indians, especially Hindus. The Pulwama terrorist Ahmed Dhar had confessed that he killed CRPF soldiers to avenge those who ‘drink cow urine.’
The misleading tweet by @softgrowl was further amplified by Congress apologist and fake news peddler, Mona Ambegaonkar. Prominent Islamist handles used the opportunity to create distrust among the Dalit community and dog-whistle against the Hindus.
While assuming that the perpetrators were Brahmins, Aam Aadmi Party leader Preeti Sharma Menon said, “I never wish death on anyone. I pray these men have a very painful death. Soon.”
After being called out on social media, the fake news peddler (@softgrowl) deleted her tweet.
The Truth behind the case
The above-mentioned incident is neither recent nor a case of caste discrimination. As per a report by NDTV, it dates back to June 22, 2021, when the family members of two girls assaulted them for talking to their maternal cousins.
Both the victim and the accused are from the tribal community. The incident took place in Pipalwa village in the Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh. After the matter came to light, the local police sprung into action and admitted the two victims to a local hospital.
They also arrested 7 accused of assaulting the two victims in full public glare. It is thus clear that the heinous crime was not motivated by caste and had no involvement of the Brahmin or ‘upper caste community.’ However, this did not stop the usual suspects from vilifying them and making genocidal remarks.