The Dark and the only face of P-AAP I request all of you who are reading this to share this post far and wide, so that people know the intolerant monster called AAP. Like Tejpal, truly, the beast in our midst! The day AAP tried to intimidate me! Yesterday, March 30th, 2014, was the last day of the year according to the Indian almanac. It was also the day the Aam Aadmi party’s Goa unit tried its best to muzzle my voice and to intimidate me. In the morning, when someone forwarded a newspaper clipping to me on twitter. It was followed by two links, one from AAJ TAK, and another from the Business Standard. They all said the same thing, that the AAP LS candidate from South Goa, Ms. Swati Kerkar had allegedly commented that the Goa CM, Manohar Parrikar had gone ‘overboard’ in ‘chasing’ Tejpal. Media reports also clearly stated that the Tejpal has found ‘sahanoobhooti’ (sympathy) from AAP - all highlighted terms used by the media! Naturally, I was shocked. Tejpal, as we all know, is currently rotting in a Goa jail and is charged with rape. He represents the worst of the criminals, those who flout the laws with impunity and then expect their contacts, their position in the society to bail them out. Lurid details what he did are already in the public domain, so I will not dwell on them. But I was outraged. As a woman, I couldn’t comprehend why a woman candidate would even want to talk about Tejpal in a talk about mining. What is the connection between Tejpal and mining. Why was he mentioned at all? The media reports were clear and unambiguous in the words they used. It was obvious from the media reports at least that Ms. Kerkar had appeared to treat Tejpal as a’victim’, rather than a ‘perpetrator’ of the crime he is accused of. As a citizen, I felt concerned and wanted to raise this issue in a public forum. So I made a post on Goa +, the largest and most active Goan cyber forum. I reproduce my post verbatim here. So the Aam Aadmi party Candidate for South Goa, Swati Kerkar actually supports rapist Tejpal? I cannot believe that a woman would support a beast like Tejpal just for petty political gains. And she claims to be an activist for womens rights? Shame on Swati Kerkar! As a woman, I am outraged!’ To anyone with a modicum of intelligence, it would be obvious that I had based my post on the media reports and I had used a question mark. It was a post meant to raise a question. As an independent citizen who is NOT affiliated with any political party, I was asking a question to the AAP candidate. I repeatedly asked the AAP guys to either produce the video of the speech or get Ms. Kelkar to make a statement on the forum to clear the matter, which would have been the most sensible thing to do. Instead, what I got was abuse, personal attacks and language that would make any street thug hang his head in shame. Miki Naik, one of the functionaries of the AAP in Goa made a public post using the words Is this how low BJP will stoop? Use a woman to make baseless accusations?’ thereby implying that the BJP had asked me to make a post. His sidekick, one Mujahid Hussain Rizwi, went one step further and made a comment ‘Papi pet ka sawaal hai. Shefali has to earn a living’, thereby clearly accusing me of getting paid by the BJP to make a post. I challenged both of them to provide the proof. Meanwhile, this Miki Naik, made a separate post on his forum, the official AAM AADMI PARTY FORUM in Goa, accusing me of wilfully maligning his candidate and implying again that the BJP had put me up to it. And that’s where all the abuse started. My intelligence was questioned, my character was questioned, my family, my marriage, my profession, everything was mentioned. There was a person, who I regret to say, I had once made the mistake of inviting into my house. A person who had sat on my couch, ate food that I had cooked, a person who called me Didi, older sister! That same person now posted vile stuff that my dignity does not permit me to reproduce here. Also, the person has since tendered an unconditional apology, so I will not mention his name. But the people on the AAP forum behaved like hyenas, cackling at the insensitive jokes, liking those tasteless pictures that were put up and accusing me repeatedly of making a statement in vested interests, when it is clear that my post was phrased as a QUESTION! While I have been a vocal supporter of Modi, and I have never tried to hide that fact, I am no way affiliated with the BJP. I am acting on Facebook in my own capacity as an individual. I am entitled to express my views, as long as I do not abuse anyone. My post was meant to seek a clarification from the AAP candidate. Instead, what I got was abuse after vile abuse, from people who are officially associated with the party. I reproduce some of the choice comments here for all to see, even though the vilest ones seem to have been deleted. Miki Naik - Is this how low BJP will stoop? Use a woman to make baseless accusations?’ Prashant Parab - That doggys shower will really wash her brain (comment on a pic of a dog peeing) Mangi Singbal- Exactly...an ak khok khok post gets 200 likes from so called smart intellectual individuals...unbelievable.. i usually have a look at the names of these great minds. ..shefali just enjoys this popularity.. Binoy Hoskote - WOMEN ARE ENEMIES OF WOMEN has been an old saying, which some women are bent on PROING AGAIN and AGAIN...right Shefali?….Shefali U shame the entire gender image & values of high ESTEEM ASSIGNED TO WOMEN. Wonder who has made you stoop to such disgusting levels one wonders. Yash Naik - it is shefali who is supporting protector of vasco rapist. Rizwan Shaikh Nabi - Your taking away thier income AAP, this kind of attacks will continue Is this what AAP is all about? Is this how they uphold the freedom of expression? Is this how they tolerate contrary opinions? Is this how they will deal with opposition if, God forbid, they ever come to power? If AAP cannot deal with a single post made by a private individual on a cyber forum with dignity and maturity, how are they going to deal with opposition in future? The very thought makes me shudder!! Ms. Kerkar was the candidate, not me. She is the one answerable to the electorate not me. According to media reports, she had made the controversial statement, not me. The clarification, if any, should have come from her, not me. I acted in good faith, based on media reports. I expected AAP to deal with my post with dignity and maturity. Instead, I was harassed repeatedly for my phone number, my post was deliberately twisted to appear as a statement, when it was CLEARLY phrased as a question. This is the REAL face of AAP. They are people who will stop at NOTHING. They will try abuse, intimidation, threats, vile insinuation, anything to silence the dissenting voice! As this incident amply proves, AAP is like Tejpal, truly, the beast in our midst! And THESE are the guys who talk of change? Really? © Shefali Vaidya
Posted on: Mon, 31 Mar 2014 15:08:20 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015