Why is Twitter trolling Sabrina Siddiqui, journalist who asked PM Modi question on human rights in US?

As Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s trip to the United States and his meeting with US President Joe Biden came to a successful end, desi Twitter ended up trolling an American journalist who had raised a strong question for PM Modi during his press conference.

PM Narendra Modi, who is known not to be a part of any press conferences, allowed two questions during a press conference in the US alongside Joe Biden, where he answered a question on the Indian democracy and treatment of minorities in the country.

The question was fielded to PM Modi by Sabrina Siddiqui, a journalist who works for the Wall Street Journal in the US. Siddiqui is a Pakistani-American journalist and has been on the brunt of social media backlash by Indians after she asked a question to PM Modi.

Sabrina Siddiqui, who is a journalist in the United States, was attacked on Twitter when people pointed out her connection to Pakistan and her Muslim lineage, calling her a member of the “toolkit gang” for raising a question about the treatment of minority communities in India.

Since some have chosen to make a point of my personal background, it feels only right to provide a fuller picture. Sometimes identities are more complex than they seem. pic.twitter.com/Huxbmm57q8

— Sabrina Siddiqui (@SabrinaSiddiqui) June 24, 2023

During the press conference, Siddiqui asked PM Modi, “India has long prided itself as the world’s largest democracy, but there are many human rights groups who say that your government has discriminated against religious minorities and sought to silence its critics. As you stand here in the East Room of the White House, where so many world leaders have made commitments to protecting democracy, what steps are you and your government willing to take to improve the rights of Muslims and other minorities in your country and to uphold free speech?”

PM Modi answered the question by saying that democracy is the heart and soul of India and runs in the DNA of India and the US, seeming surprised at the fact that there are questions being raised on the treatment of minorities in India.

Twitter soon rained backlash on Sabrina Siddiqui over her questions to PM Modi, however, the Congress party came to her defence, posting a photo of her supporting India during the World Cup, rubbishing the tweets slamming her community.

READ | Who is Sabrina Siddiqui, White House reporter who questioned PM Modi on Indian democracy?