Delhi journalist’s video trashing Teej sparks row, Sambit Patra asks don’t Hindus get hurt
☰
India

Delhi journalist’s video trashing Teej sparks row, Sambit Patra asks don’t Hindus get hurt

In her video, Sushmita Sinha is seen holding a Hindu scripture & asking viewers if she should use the book as a toilet paper or tissue paper as it is of ‘no use’ to her. 

Bismee Taskin    
Journalist Sushmita Sinha in the video | Twitter

Journalist Sushmita Sinha in the video | Twitter

New Delhi: Delhi-based journalist Sushmita Sinha’s video criticising Hindu festival Teej created a furore on social media Wednesday, with many calling for her arrest.

Sinha, in the video, is seen holding a Hindu scripture, Hartalika Teej Katha, and asking viewers if she should use the book as a toilet paper or tissue paper as it “is of no use” to her. 

“I have paid Rs 15 for this useless book, now it’s of no use to me. Now I am wondering if I should use this book as tissue paper or toilet paper. What do you think?” Sinha said in the video.

The book has Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati on its cover.

Sinha is a former Bolta Hindustan journalist, who now works as a freelancer.

BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra expressed outrage over the video on Twitter, questioning the “secularism of leftists”.

“I just saw this video in social media, a woman wants to use Hindu scriptures as toilet paper… Can anyone tell me who this woman is… and what is the truth of this video? The scripture on which Lord Shiva and Mother Parvati have been inscribed is in the form of toilet paper… shame!,” Patra wrote. 

 

In another tweet, Patra said, “People have said that this woman is a journalist, her name is Sushmita. In Bengaluru, everybody outraged over Dalit boy, Naveen, but this video of Sushmita is freedom of expression… Why are these double standards?” 

Patra was referring to P. Naveen Kumar, the nephew of Pulakeshinagar Congress MLA Akhand Srinivas Murthy, whose alleged Facebook post on Prophet Muhammad triggered riots in Bengaluru on 11 August.

“Do Hindus have no feelings, don’t Hindus get hurt? Is this the secularism of leftists?” Patra added. 

ThePrint reached Patra through phone calls and text messages for a comment on the matter, but there was no response until the publication of this report.

Also read: Hindu society’s real enemy is a pseudo-Hindu — not those branded ‘sickulars’ or ‘libtards’

Issued ‘rape and death threats’

Sinha shared the 2.15-minute video initially on Instagram on 20 August, and later posted it on Facebook and YouTube. 

However, the video doing the rounds on social media is just of 17 seconds duration. 

This year, Teej was celebrated on 21 August. The festival is celebrated mostly in north India by married women, who fast to ensure their husbands live long lives, while unmarried women pray for good husbands.

Sinha told ThePrint: “I had spoken about the katha that is read while fasting on Teej. There are many misogynist rules in the book, like if you drink water during the fast, one will turn into a pig, or a widow, etc. I only read a page from the book that had all of these things.”

Sinha claimed she is now receiving death and rape threats.

“They (social media trolls) are telling me that they will find my house and burn it down, throw acid on my face and issuing rape threats,” she told ThePrint.

With the video going viral, #ArrestSushmitaSinha started trending on Twitter, and several users demanded to file police complaints against the journalist.

 

Also read: Hinduism vs Hindutva debate ignores Hindu people, puts religion where it doesn’t exist