Beat the bullies, writes Priyanka Chaturvedi

A recent survey suggested that India is an angry nation and on reading that, I wondered why are we always on edge? Why are we always ready to jump and scream at the mere sign of bad service, traffic, long queue, choice of movies, choice of food, choice of political ideology? It is a research waiting to happen in India, on Indians. Would be interesting to try and understand what reasons push us into a rage!

So I got back to work week and how! It started with a threat to rape and death which went on to create news headlines albeit of a different kind, where the issue became by-the-way. Not what anyone would want, hence I must bring the debate back to highlighting a serious issue, the issue of women being silenced on social media and in the public discourse through bullying and intimidation. 

It is not just women in public life, but the rest too, who face just as much abuse and threat as a mean to keep them on the sidelines of national discourse. There is a bigger need for a dialogue and debate on this issue, now more than ever. On a Saturday morning? The most! 

Recently, my fellow columnist Twinkle Khanna had tweeted about a well-known spiritual leader, that didn’t go down well with his followers and they started a boycott campaign of her husband’s upcoming release. Barkha Dutt faces troll ire almost everyday and recently, her mobile number was shared on these public platforms along with the choicest abuse. Sagarika Ghose is also someone who faces abuse and slander for unapologetically tweeting about what she believes in. Kavita Krishnan was asked about free sex and her mother’s excellent response to that obnoxious question went viral. A journalist whose book on Gujarat is to release soon has already been given unfavourable reviews on online sites. Yes, before the launch! These are just a few of the many well-discussed and debated examples. I am certain there are many more.

The above are a few examples of how the entire bullying ecosystem works and thrives in these spaces. For the one at the receiving end of such abuse and threats, many delete the tweet and move on, some delete their accounts, some selectively tweet on non-controversial issues. Though I sometimes wonder if there are any non-confrontational, non-controversial topics left to discuss? Every topic is a potential controversy. It is time we started a dialogue across board to discourage such discourse and started to reclaim these spaces.

How does one begin? First and foremost, by acknowledging that the problem exists. Secondly, not being dismissive about the issue. Encourage dialogue, encourage dissent, if any, through debates. Silencing the ones who may disagree with you may give you the immediate results but in the long run will hugely backfire. 

The hope is to address the problem, not to indulge in an angry blame game. The attempt is to leave differences aside and find solutions. The idea is not to be the victim but of being strong enough to be able to not get bogged down by the attempts of the bully gang. Speak up and stand up for what you believe in and no one should be allowed an inch of space to bully you.