Swara Bhaskar, actor and daughter of JNU professor for cinema studies and former Censor Board member, Ira Bhaskar, today displayed her lack of comprehension skills on Twitter. In response to her rant, film director Vivek Agnihotri, in a series of tweets, asked Bhaskar to visit naxal-infested areas like Bastar, where women are regularly raped and abused.
What women need to understand that it’s because of the fake feminists like @ReallySwara that the feminist movement gets jeopardised. You just can’t piss off people and win the most critical war of modern times – the gender empathy.
— Vivek Agnihotri (@vivekagnihotri) January 30, 2018
But then, when someone points out the hypocrisy, the victim card, which is always on standby mode, comes out pronto. Swara immediately interpreted the above suggestion of visiting Bastar to interact with survivors of abuse as ‘getting raped’.
I’m sorry did u just suggest that i go get myself raped?????????? Like seriously? You typed out this tweet Vivek… ?????
I’d say pretty low and sick even by your own abysmal standards of conduct & civility. https://t.co/d1LCCE9B5I— Swara Bhasker (@ReallySwara) January 30, 2018
It takes severe lack of comprehension skills to interpret going to Bastar to know more about rape victims as ‘go get yourself raped’. But soon enough, the ecosystem came to her rescue. Suddenly, the narrative shifted to how industry people, her peers, are slut-shaming her and issuing veiled rape threats.
Those threatening, trolling, and sexually harassing Swara Bhasker are proving her point better than she did: 2018 India is a hell for women.
Please don’t believe the incendiary quotes being attributed to her. This is a campaign of malign, as happens to any woman who speaks out.
— Rega Jha (@RegaJha) January 31, 2018
Plain disgusting (and yet not surprising) to see peers from the film industry slut-shaming, issuing veiled rape threats, and abusing @ReallySwara for having an opinion on a film. True picture of where we stand with our misogyny and free-speech. https://t.co/2SHCu6oyjo
— वरुण (@varungrover) January 31, 2018
And of course, how can a man have an opinion which goes against self appointed patron saints of feminism?
Isn’t it fascinating when a man explains a #vagina to a woman and tells a woman what it feels like to be a raped woman? (@ReallySwara I have seen worse. I remember a man on Twitter explaining labour pain to a #woman who is a mother.) #WednesdayWisdom pic.twitter.com/VItcY0K3zq
— Anna MM Vetticad (@annavetticad) January 31, 2018
However, if you read closely, Agnihotri does not give her veiled rape threats nor does he slut shame her. All he’s asked is to go meet the abuse victims to get some idea of how it feels to live with life beyond rape. But how can the so-called liberals ever be wrong? Some Twitter users tried to help Swara to comprehend Agnihotri’s tweet.
No, he didn’t say that. He asked you to go to a Naxal area and understand the plight of women. You come across as so irritating now Swara. Don’t over do it. Just don’t. I still love you as an actor!
— Rahul Sharma (@Biorahul) January 31, 2018
Read his tweet with your eyes open. He is saying If you go and live in places like naxal areas you will understand what it means to be a woman living under difficult conditions. (Really Swara? I am losing all respect I had 4 u)
— Abhishek Jain (@abhishekjain118) January 31, 2018
But why let facts come in the way of a narrative?
