Indian media stoked spiritual pressure over brutal killings slightly than specializing in femicide

The killing and dismemberment of a 26-year-old girl in India in Might and the latest arrest of her boyfriend captivated the nation and the media.

However as an alternative of specializing in the femicide problem, a journalist and activist says the Indian media is exploiting the truth that the sufferer was Hindu and her alleged killer was a Muslim to additional polarize the nation. France 24 correspondents Leah Delvoli, Anida Saifi and Navodita Kumari report.

Shraddha Walker was allegedly killed by her live-in boyfriend, who then allegedly reduce her physique into 35 items and dumped them throughout New Delhi. Al-Siddiq was arrested on November twelfth.

Journalist Soumya Lakhani was shocked by the insensitivity of the Indian media masking the case: as an alternative of sparking a public debate about home violence, the ugly homicide took a political flip as a result of Walker was Hindu and her boyfriend was Muslim.

“The performs about this problem by the media are appalling and on the similar time I believe they belittle the lady who died,” stated Lakani. “It’s a gender crime on the finish of the day. I imply, you may need to see it one other solution to match our agendas, however it’s a gender crime.”

Rights activists say the case is getting used to focus on the Muslim neighborhood.

“As a substitute of taking a look at it as a case of home violence and speaking about what must be carried out, the media performs a serious position in additional polarizing society,” stated human rights activist Shabnam Hasmi. “It reveals this case as a ‘Muslim vs. Hindu problem’ and the way Muslim boys lure Hindu girls and the way they assault and kill them.”

Speaking about home violence continues to be taboo in India, however 30-year-old Mbeena, who didn’t give her final identify, agreed to talk to France 24. 4 years in the past, her mother and father married her to the person they selected. Quickly after, her husband began torturing her mentally and bodily.

“He actually overstepped his bounds when he threatened me with a knife, saying he was going to kill me,” Mbena stated. I could not sleep all evening. I used to be afraid my husband would really kill me.”

Mbeina was later rescued by her mom.

Practically a 3rd of Indian girls have skilled bodily or sexual violence, 80 % of it attributable to their husbands, based on a authorities survey.