On Wednesday, defence analyst Abhijit Iyer-Mitra, known for his polemic style on Twitter earned the wrath of several Twitter users for remarks at Alt News co-founder Mohammed Zubair.
Mohammed Zubair, who uses the Twitter handle Zoo Bear, had put a video of a doctor abusing members of the Tableeghi Jamat and written: “Dr. Aarti Lalchandani refers COVID +ve Muslims as terrorists, Wants govt to send Jamatis to Jungle & Jail instead of exhausting resources. She is the same lady who'd earlier alleged that Jamatis were spitting, misbehaving & demanding Biryani.”
Dr. Aarti Lalchandani refers COVID +ve Muslims as terrorists, Wants govt to send Jamatis to Jungle & Jail instead of exhausting resources. She is the same lady who'd earlier alleged that Jamatis were spitting, misbehaving & demanding Biryani. @DMKanpurpic.twitter.com/N05xM78D2p
— Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) May 31, 2020
This led Abhijit Iyer-Mitra, who’s a defence strategist associated with ORF and IPCS, New Delhi to lash out at Zubair and say: “Tell you what Jihadi Jabbar, if you agree I'll come to your house, flash your mum, spit on her, piss in your living room and demand pork vindaloo for three months. Let's see if your mum sends me to jail/jungle or keeps feeding me biryani and wasting expensive test kits and beds on me. Ok?”
Several Twitter users including journalists asked Twitter to drop his blue tick and the organisations that are associated with him to drop him. There were also calls asking Shekhar Gupta, the founder of the Print to drop Abhijit Iyer-Mitra’s columns.
Pratik Sinha, Alt News Co-founder asked several media organisations including India Today and The Print to disassociate themselves from Iyer-Mitra.
He's a columnist at @ThePrintIndia. Talks about flashing at mothers and spitting on them. A proud moment for the investors, owners and employees of @ThePrintIndia, who continue their association with this individual without protest. pic.twitter.com/OJ2qNHzBtN
— Pratik Sinha (@free_thinker) June 3, 2020
He also appears regularly on channels like @IndiaToday, @republic and @TimesNow. I have very little hope in Indian TV channels making any amends because these channels are beyond shaming. pic.twitter.com/S3JjXk1hbG
— Pratik Sinha (@free_thinker) June 3, 2020
However, I do intend to shame every organisation who chooses to give space to this individual at every opportunity I get, and let your audience know that this is your choice. pic.twitter.com/spdWENxaRS
— Pratik Sinha (@free_thinker) June 3, 2020
The individual has deleted the tweet, but that doesn't make an iota of difference. Every time an anchor hosts this individual, or a publication gives him space, or an organisation invites him on a panel, I will quote tweet that tweet and let others know that this is their choice. pic.twitter.com/1FC7elrOpu
— Pratik Sinha (@free_thinker) June 3, 2020
We're not silent. We'll not be silent. This is totally unacceptable! https://t.co/hAzFPrmbk3
— Unnati Sharma (@unnati_sharma_) June 3, 2020
Abhijit Iyer Mitra is among the vilest people on this platform. His Islamophobic and sexist bile reflects poorly on the organizations that give him space, and they should reconsider their association with him. @ThePrintIndia @IPCSNewDelhi @orfonline pic.twitter.com/JjGCX7JtTJ
— Asim Ali (@AsimAli6) June 3, 2020
This man @Iyervval is a potential rapist and should be locked up in jail. That's where this filth belongs!
— Gaurav Pandhi (@GauravPandhi) June 3, 2020
.. pic.twitter.com/SeWS4EUgqs
Only in India can you get away with calling a Muslim you disagree with a 'jihadi' and still have media organisations platform you. Even Fox and Co wouldn't tolerate such crap. Shows how low our expectations from public discourse is.
— Manisha Pande (@MnshaP) June 3, 2020
Hello @ShekharGupta , you are the President of the Editors Guild of India and this man is a columnist with your publication. And despite his bigotry, his rape threats and Islamophobic rants, you continue to publish him ? pic.twitter.com/3K8hUGD7oQ
— Rana Ayyub (@RanaAyyub) June 3, 2020
This is hate speech @TwitterIndia @TwitterSupport @Twitter @verified @TwitterSafety @jack @misskaul
— Swara Bhasker (@ReallySwara) June 3, 2020
Suspend this account. pic.twitter.com/lu3cnTHKor
What an utterly reprehensible, abhorrent, despicable excuse for a person. This man is a blot on humanity. https://t.co/iroTHcuIgs
— Sandhya Ramesh (@sandygrains) June 3, 2020
Wonder if @ShekharGupta has to tuck away his relatives, for safety, when a few columnists from @ThePrintIndia come home for dinner?
— Akash Banerjee (@TheDeshBhakt) June 3, 2020
How does one even think like this? Arrgh what a disgusting person. https://t.co/YdEzTppyIz
— vijaita singh (@vijaita) June 3, 2020
43 days in jail
Iyer-Mitra is known for his caustic comments and spent 43 days in jail for ‘insulting Odia sentiments and traditions’. He was put behind bars on October 23, 2018.
He later apologised unreservedly and had : “In addition to my apology to the Odisha assembly, I have unreservedly and unconditionally apologized for my words and actions that may have unintentionally hurt the sentiments of the people of Odisha, the Chief Minister and any others.”
Defamation suit against NDTV
Earlier, Mitra had filed a journalist Gargi Rawat and advocate Dushyant Arora for allegedly liking a tweet calling him a 'rapist'.
Incidentally, Shekhar Gupta is also the President of the Editor’s Guild of India.
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