We had earlier written how Washington Post had not only written a biased piece on journalism in India based on half-baked data but their India bureau chief, Annie Gowen, had even shifted the blame to the news agency Associated Press (AP) and tried to absolve themselves of responsibility of any journalistic duties. Recently, Washington Post’s India chief Annie Gowen again kicked up a storm by her racist comment on the ‘Militant Hanuman’ or ‘Angry Hanuman’ image that seem to have sent the ‘liberals’ of India into a state of fear and frenzy.
Following the Twitter purge, which saw many accounts, including that of politicians, lose followers, Washington Post Bureau Chief Annie Gowen requested Twitter to ‘delete’ all her ‘Angry Hanuman’ followers as well.
https://twitter.com/anniegowen/status/1017130906375589888?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Many on Social Media lashed out at Annie Gowen and pointed out that while her tweet displayed blatant Hinduphobia, it certainly also reeked of white supremacy.
https://twitter.com/DavidBCohen1/status/1017777073811623941?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
https://twitter.com/abhijitmajumder/status/1017834860310945796?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
https://twitter.com/freentglty/status/1017828394724020225?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
On being called out on her Hindu-hate, Annie, instead of apologising, brazened it out and claimed how she feels people with ‘Angry Hanuman’ profile picture are a ‘threat’.
https://twitter.com/anniegowen/status/1017610439600103424?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
She proceeded to make a rather bizarre claim in order to defend herself from the ‘white supremacist’ charge. She foolishly asserted that she “doesn’t want to be cut up into pieces” implying that is something people with “Angry Hanuman” accounts advocate.
https://twitter.com/anniegowen/status/1017830436041580544?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Annie, it is indeed ‘white supremacy’ to assume that everyone with this profile picture wants to cut you up into little pieces when clearly, there is no evidence of the same. She again got a lesson on how Ku Klux Klan, which advocates white supremacy, also claims it is not racist.
https://twitter.com/mchellap/status/1017836759915233282?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
People were also upset that an artwork of one of the most beloved Hindu gods was reduced to a ‘meme’ by Washington Post Bureau Chief.
https://twitter.com/Varada_M/status/1017856728690511872?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
https://twitter.com/sureshnakhua/status/1017857698358964224?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
It is almost as if the “unwashed Hindus” who don’t subscribe to what the white world’s interpretation of existence is, doesn’t deserve to be treated with dignity and respect even in their own land and Annie Gowen perfectly represents that mentality.
Annie Gowen’s blatant Hinduphobia and racist behaviour makes one wonder whether Washington Post subscribes and endorses her views. Lord Hanuman has also been described as a fierce warrior in Hinduism. To reduce him to a ‘meme’ is rather unfortunate. Having said that, to quote a verse from a very popular hymn:
भूत पिशाच निकट नहिं आवै।
महाबीर जब नाम सुनावै॥