Paresh Rawal’s ‘tie Arundhati’ tweet draws furious response
new delhi — Bhartiya Janta Party MP Paresh Rawal on Monday kicked up a row with his remark that author Arundhati Roy should be tied to an army jeep instead of a stone pelter, a reference to an incident in Kashmir where a protester was used as a “human shield” by security personnel against a mob.
“Instead of tying stone pelter on the army jeep tie Arundhati Roy (sic)!” the actor-politician tweeted, taking a swipe at the author who has been a trenchant critic of the BJP and the Army action in the Valley.
His tweet drew condemnation from many users on the social media platform with some accusing him of inciting violence.
When a supporter suggested that instead of the Booker Prize winning author, a woman journalist should be treated in a similar manner, Rawal said: “We have a wide variety of choices!” Congress general secretary Digivijay Singh hit out at the BJP, asking, “Why not (tie) the person who stitched the PDP-BJP alliance?”
In a sarcasm-laced tweet, author Rana Ayyub said: “And you want to call him just a fringe? He’s a high profile actor, an MP from Gujarat, and a Padma Shri. God bless his constituency.”
“Btw (By the way) I don’t agree with a lot that Arundhati says or does. But disagree more with violence. Your physical threats lose you all moral debates,” wrote author and comedian Sorabh Pant.
Rawal is a Member of Parliament
Instead of tying stone pelter on the army jeep tie Arundhati Roy (sic). Paresh Rawal Actor-turned politician
from Ahmedabad East constituency.
Another Twitter user, Ziya Us Salam said Rawal’s comment about a woman were shameful.
“@SirPareshRawal Your acting was often commendable but your prejudiced mindset is condemnable. Telling the army to hide behind a brave woman is shameful,” he tweeted. IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt, tweeted in support of Arundhati: “If Arundhati has to be tied on the army jeep, I would love to be tied in front of her, as I agree with most things she has said on Kashmir.”
Arundhati Roy, an award-winning writer, has always been vocal about Kashmir issues.
Rawal’s comment comes after an army officer tied a Kashmiri youth to the front of an army jeep as a human shield to avoid stone pelting during an army patrol in Budgam district on an election day in April. The incident received widespread condemnation.
Union minister Smriti Irani, however, sought to distance the party from Rawal’s tweet, saying “nowhere will we, in any way, support any violent message by anybody, against any individual of the country.”
Many right wing supporters lapped up Rawal’s remarks, alleging that Roy was an “anti-national”.
Rawal’s tweet came against the backdrop of an army officer’s decision to tie an alleged stone pelter to a jeep’s bonnet as a human shield against violent protesters who were trying to disrupt bypoll to Srinagar
Nowhere will we, in any way, support any violent message by anybody, against any individual of the country. Smriti Irani Union minister
And you want to call him just a fringe? He’s a high profile actor, an MP from Gujarat, and a Padma Shri. God bless his constituency Rana Ayyub Author
Btw (By the way) I don’t agree with a lot that Arundhati says or does. But disagree more with violence. Your physical threats lose you all moral debates. Sorabh Pant Author and comedian
Lok Sabha constituency last month. It was done, according to security officials, to prevent stone-pelters from targeting soldiers. The Army had ordered a court of inquiry into the incident. —