Sushant Singh’s Death Cannot Be Avenged by Rape Threats to Rhea Chakraborty. Online Abuse Has Gone Too Far

Indian social media is infested with trolls. Be it politics, films, stand-up comedy, or nearly anything else, discussion in almost every sphere is dominated by hateful accounts who pile on to targeted individuals with a torrent of abuse and threats. Actress Rhea Chakraborty recently declared “ENOUGH IS ENOUGH” in a post on social media, sharing a screenshot of the kind of abuse she had been receiving online for over a month now.

View this post on Instagram

I was called a gold digger ..I kept quiet I was called a murderer ….I kept quiet I was slut shamed ….I kept quiet But how does my silence give you the right to tell me that you will get me RAPED and MURDERED if I don’t commit suicide @mannu_raaut ? Do you realize the seriousness of what you have said? These are crimes, and by law no one, I repeat NO ONE should be subjected to this kind of toxicity and harassment . I request @cyber_crime_helpline @cybercrimeindia to please take necessary action . ENOUGH IS ENOUGH

A post shared by Rhea Chakraborty (@rhea_chakraborty) on Jul 15, 2020 at 11:20pm PDT

Chakraborty attracted the negative attention of internet trolls due to her connection to Sushant Singh Rajput, whose death by suicide opened a can of worms about nepotism in Bollywood. While the intention of calling out nepotism might appear wholesome, the manner in which many trolls chose to attack the perceived beneficiaries of said nepotism was disgusting. Rhea Chakraborty is only one of many who have had to face such abuse in recent weeks.

Alia Bhatt, who comes from a film family, was one of the most attacked personalities in the wake of Rajput’s death. The trolling got so vicious that even her family was not spared. Alia’s sister Shaheen Bhatt, a writer, also received threats of rape and murder. Shaheen shared the screenshots on social media, giving a glimpse of the kind of attitudes prevailing among social media trolls.

Shaheen Bhatt shares screenshots of rape threats she received on Instagram, promises to 'not protect their identity' https://t.co/7Ub5Hizmzx
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.#ShaheenBhatt

— DNA (@dna) July 13, 2020

After Shaheen shared her story, her mother Soni Razdan also took to Instagram to make a statement against the abusive behaviour of troll accounts. “Social media has for too long now become the most antisocial media mainly because those running the platforms are not doing enough to prevent abuse,” she said in her post.

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@instagram I do hope you’re reading this and taking some note of it. Because it really gets to the root of the issue. So easy na to let the abusers off the hook. To let yourself off the hook. To let the onus fall on the abused to take action to protect themselves. It’s basically and fundamentally ALL WRONG. And it’s high time it was stopped at the source itself. And the stinking abusers get their just desserts. Social media has for too long now become the most antisocial media mainly because those running the platforms are not doing enough to prevent abuse. #enoughisenough #stoponlineabuse #stoptheharrassment #stopabuseagainstwomen

A post shared by Soni Razdan (@sonirazdan) on Jul 13, 2020 at 8:02am PDT

These vile threats are not the sole preserve of anonymous trolls. Even small-time influencers indulge in such reprehensible behaviour. This was seen over the last weekend, when controversy over an old performance of stand-up comic Agrima Joshua was perceived as being insulting to Shivaji, leading to a flood of abuse coming her way.

Dear @AnilDeshmukhNCP @CPMumbaiPolice @MumbaiPolice @GujaratPolice We know you are aware of Shubham Mishra’s threats to incite rape of @Agrimonious evidenced in this disturbing video. Please listen to this again, we will not stop unless an FIR is filed. This is in your hands now! pic.twitter.com/KyEPE8McSV

— Khyati Shree (@KhyatiShree_) July 12, 2020

Agrima Joshua's harmless jokes have caused more outrage and legal ramifications than Shubham Mishra's abusive rape threats against her!

Shubham is apparently a 'viral sensation' on YouTube & Instagram

What does this show? Are we not a morally bankrupt nation?

— Srivatsa (@srivatsayb) July 12, 2020

With social media now a central component of our online interaction, this troll culture needs to be seriously addressed by the platforms where it thrives. We need better internet policing. As the victims themselves have been saying, enough is enough.