New Delhi: Independent journalist Rana Ayyub filed a written complaint with the Mumbai Police Wednesday, citing “targeted harassment” and “fake news” spread against her by a website called The Scoop Beats, which has allegedly led to a barrage of abuse and threats.
“In the last two days, 27,000 tweets and Facebook posts have been generated against me. Reporters sans Frontiers and international journalism organisations have put out tweets urging the Indian government to protect me,” Ayyub, also a Global Opinions writer for The Washington Post, stated in the complaint, accessed by ThePrint.
Ayyub’s primary point of contention is a video posted Wednesday on The Scoop Beats’ YouTube channel and social media titled ‘Saudi Arabia Banned Rana Ayyub’, which she said contains photoshopped tweets of her expressing hate for India.
Hello @TwitterIndia , at what point will you consider blocking fake tweets from verified handles that are silencing and intimidating journalists. Or have you decided to play mute spectator to the assault and harassment of voices critical of the govt @Twitter @TwitterSupport https://t.co/oQhFRMnyEm
— Rana Ayyub (@RanaAyyub) January 26, 2022
These people have used a photoshopped tweet of me in the background that says ‘I hate India and I hate all Indians’. A complaint against this photoshopped tweet was filed with @DelhiPolice in 2017. Filing a complaint with @MumbaiPolice now against this brazen fake news https://t.co/LkNrUQG8NG
— Rana Ayyub (@RanaAyyub) January 26, 2022
Ayyub urged the Mumbai Police to “arrest the perpetrators” for the “fake news” against her, the threats as well as the “anti-India accusations”, but no such action has yet been taken, although the police acknowledged receipt of the complaint.
“Mumbai Police informed me that my complaint has been forwarded to DCP Cyber Cell Rashmi Karandikar, who is looking into the matter. This is the only update since yesterday,” Ayyub told ThePrint.
‘Inundated with rape and death threats’
Hosted by The Scoop Beats’ employees Vidyanshi Dwivedi and Mannu Sahu, the nearly 11-minute video was uploaded Wednesday, days after Ayyub had tweeted in support of Yemeni civilians, and criticised Saudi Arabia’s government for its military actions in Yemen over the course of the latter’s civil war since 2015.
Saudi trolls are being cheered on by Modi supporters in India. You missed nothing
— Rana Ayyub (@RanaAyyub) January 23, 2022
Yemen is bleeding and there is nobody to stop the bloodthirsty Saudis. These are people who call themselves the custodians of Islam. As a Muslim I am ashamed that these savages are guardians of the holy mosque. The world CANNOT stay silent thru this genocide #YemenUnderAttack
— Rana Ayyub (@RanaAyyub) January 22, 2022
Ayyub had also argued with Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi over this issue.
Btw the people you are quoting also justified the murder of my former colleague and journalist Jamal Khashoggi by the Saudis. A murder that outraged the world. As a responsible Member of Parliament, you should certainly read my original tweet instead of quoting proxies on twitter https://t.co/T8uicN6jIy
— Rana Ayyub (@RanaAyyub) January 24, 2022
Hi Priyanka. I really wish you had shared my tweet on Saudis before your dangerous insinuation about Yemen who you have just labeled as terrorists. Sorry , I cannot engage with anyone who is trying to justify the mass murder in Yemen, especially children. Good luck. https://t.co/mbxWDVCHHF
— Rana Ayyub (@RanaAyyub) January 24, 2022
In her complaint, Ayyub stated, “[The Scoop Beats] have used a photoshopped tweet in the background that says ‘I hate India and I hate Indians’. This fake news has led to a barrage of hate against me…My timeline has been inundated with rape and death threats. I and my family are in imminent danger.”
The Scoop Beats has published a sarcastic apology in response to Ayyub’s tweets, stating that everything they had said was “true”
We are Sorry RANA AYYUB#RanaAyub #RanaAyyubsaudi @RanaAyyub
Journalist @Mannusahu1319 , @Vidyanshi6
Editor @Patrakar_Ayush
Watch video on youtubehttps://t.co/Hc2GnUnyLk pic.twitter.com/wiYNx7qzqI
— Scoop Beats (@thescoopbeats) January 26, 2022
Ayyub also brought to the police’s attention the Bulli Bai app, on which she was “auctioned” by online trolls alongside other Muslim women earlier this month. She also referred to the UN special rapporteurs’ 2018 appeal to the Indian government to “protect” Ayyub from threats, and to her presence on Katherine Love’s 2021 list of the world’s 10 most threatened journalists.
“Ayyub has long been the target of online harassment and misinformation campaigns in response to her commentary and reporting,” Love wrote for Forbes.
Ayyub also revealed that she had tested positive for Covid-19, and was currently in isolation with high fever, rendering her unable to go to the police station in person.
(Edited by Rohan Manoj)
Also read: Rana Ayyub speaks up against FIR for alleged funds misuse, says ‘entire donation accounted for’
Source: The Print
