January 22, 2025

There are certain things over which one loses control after unleashing them. Trolling is one such ugly pastime, or should one say profession. It is assumed that the BJP has an army of trolls in its IT cell. Couple this with likeminded sympathizers all over the world and it works out to a huge and potent force stalking people on social media. Anyone famous, mainly opposition politicians, journalists and celebrities like film actors or sportspersons, expressing any opinion that is even near to an express or even veiled disapproval of the policies of the ruling dispensation or disapproving of the strong arm tactics of the Hindutva brigade or even supportive of the minorities is immediately trolled in the vilest language. The person is even threatened with disfiguration and death. But unfortunately, this army of trolls does not know where to draw the line. Like robots, they have been programmed to go after anyone who shows an opinion different from that of the current rulers.

As a result of this, in an embarrassing incident, minister for external affairs Sushma Swaraj has been trolled for the transfer of a passport officer in Lucknow who allegedly misbehaved with an inter-caste couple and refused to issue them passports. This was one self-goal the BJP would have done without. Surprisingly, not even one BJP leader condemned the trolling or has come out in support of Swaraj, despite the minister highlighting the trolling in one of her tweets. PM Modi, otherwise so active on social media, did not think it fit to support and protect Swaraj from this vile attack. Of course the prime minister has accorded a kind of legitimacy to these miscreants by following some of them on twitter. One tweet from him condemning the trolls and the attacks would have ceased. Alas, it was not to be.

The ministry of external affairs (apparently, Swaraj was out of India during the period and had no hand in it at all) did the right thing in transferring the passport officer. It is clear that the officer exceeded his brief in asking embarrassing questions to the couple. Inter-caste marriage is not a disqualification for getting a passport, if all other papers are in order. The officer was obviously driven by his bias against minorities in asking unrelated questions and denying the passport on flimsy grounds. If he was allowed to escape unpunished for his misdemeanor, it would have emboldened other officers with similar bent of mind to harass other couples or even persons from the minorities. Swaraj should be praised for the efficiency of her ministry in doing what is expected of a fair and unbiased unit that works for all the people India and not a party or its affiliates.

Pic courtesy: rvcj.com