Outrage mounts over 'Bulli Bai'' app, NCW seeks expedited action, IT minister says working with cops
New Delhi/Mumbai, Jan 2: As outrage mounted over a dodgy app that has posted pictures of Muslim women, including many prominent personalities, "for auction", IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Sunday that the government is working with police in Delhi and Mumbai in the matter and the National Commission for Women too stepped in.
The NCW has written to the Delhi Police to expedite its action in the case against the 'Bulli Bai' app, floated for trolling and harassing the victims, to ensure that such crimes do not recur.
Hundreds of Muslim women were listed for "auction" on the app with photographs sourced without permission and doctored. It has happened for the second time in less than a year. The app appeared to be a clone of Sulli Deals which triggered a similar row last year.
Politicians, netizens and women's rights groups demanded strict action against the makers of the app and many blamed it on right-wing elements.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi called upon people to raise their voice against "'insult of women" and communal hatred.
"The insult of women and communal hatred will stop only when we stand against it in one voice. The year has changed, the situation should also change. It is time to speak up," Gandhi tweeted using the hashtag 'no fear'.
As the issue snowballed, IT Minister Vaishnaw tweeted on Sunday, "Government of India is working with police organisations in Delhi and Mumbai on this matter."
Police of both the metropolitan cities have registered cases in the matter.
NCW chief Rekha Sharma, on Twitter, "noted" a tweet from a journalist whose photo was used in the app. The journalist also raised a complaint with the Cyber Cell of the Delhi Police.
"@NCWIndia has taken cognizance of this incident. Chairperson @sharmarekha has written to @CPDelhi to immediately register FIR in the matter. The process must be expedited so that such crime is not repeated," the NCW tweeted.
"The action taken in both the cases must be apprised to the Commission at the earliest. A copy of the letter has also been sent to Dy Commissioner of Police, Delhi," the NCW said in another tweet.
The Delhi Police has registered an FIR against unknown persons for allegedly uploading a doctored picture of the woman journalist on a website.
An official said Mumbai Cyber police has also registered an FIR against developers of 'Bulli Bai' app and Twitter handles that promoted this application.
The case was registered on Saturday under sections 354-D (stalking of women), 500 (Punishment for defamation) and other sections of the Information Technology Act, he said.
The West region of Cyber Police registered the FIR against Twitter handle holders and the 'Bulli Bai' app developers hosted on GitHub," the official said.
Vaishnaw has said GitHub has confirmed blocking the user and that the Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) and police authorities are coordinating further action in the matter.
PDP president Mehbooba Mufti alleged that ''fringe elements'' who were targeting Muslim women online had the ''official patronage''.
"Appalling that the criminals behind such derogatory & demeaning actions against Muslim women are given a free run," the former chief minister tweeted.
Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi had on Saturday flagged the 'Bulli Bai' app, seeking action from Mumbai police and Vaishnaw.
The All India Progressive Women's Association alleged that "Hindu supremacists" were behind this and expressed solidarity with the victims.
Many netizens took to Twitter to raise the issue.
"The Indian government, police, media, society at large ignored Sulli deals. And now you have #BulliDeals, a horrifying cruel depraved sadistic "auction" of Muslim women using their pictures. The more you ignore these things, the more sure you can be that it'll be your family soon," a netizen tweeted.
Once the app is opened, a Muslim woman's face is randomly displayed as Bulli Bai. Muslim women with a strong presence on Twitter, including journalists, have been singled out and their photos uploaded.
@NCWIndia has taken cognizance of this incident. Chairperson @sharmarekha has written to @CPDelhi to immediately register FIR in the matter. The process must be expedited so that such crime is not repeated. https://t.co/ph83jpIHKi
— NCW (@NCWIndia) January 2, 2022
Govt. of India is working with police organisations in Delhi and Mumbai on this matter. https://t.co/EOLUb0FlQe
— Ashwini Vaishnaw (@AshwiniVaishnaw) January 2, 2022
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Real Madrid fines Valverde and Tchouaméni half a million euros each for altercation
Barcelona (AP): Real Madrid slapped players Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni with half-a-million-euro ($588,000) fines on Friday for their altercation during practice.
The massive fines came a day after the midfielders tussled when the team trained. Valverde said in a post on social media on Thursday that no punches were thrown. But Valverde knocked his head on a table and he suffered a small cut that required a brief hospital visit.
On social media, Valverde initially called it a “meaningless fight” with a teammate and said “everything has been blown out of proportion."
His employers, however, considered it a significant enough breach of team discipline to nail both Valverde and Tchouaméni with fines that bite even the bank account of a top soccer player. The half-a-million euro penalties reflect the reputational damage the club was enduring in a chaotic end to a disappointing season.
In a statement, the 15-time European champion said its disciplinary action was concluded after both players expressed to the club “their complete remorse for what happened and apologized to one another.”
Madrid added they also apologized to their teammates, the coaching staff and club supporters, as well as showing their willingness to accept whatever disciplinary action the club deemed “opportune.”
Tchouaméni was back training with Madrid on Friday, two days before they play at Barcelona in a clasico. Madrid has to win otherwise Barcelona will be crowned La Liga champion.
After being notified of the fine, he posted a public apology to the club and its fans on social media.
“What happened this week in training is unacceptable,” Tchouaméni wrote. "I say this while thinking about the example we are expected to set for young people, whether in football or at school.
“Above all, I am sorry for the image we projected of the club.”
Valverde was not at practice due to the head knock.
Both players are set to play in the World Cup next month, with Tchouaméni playing for France and Valverde for Uruguay.
Chaotic end to a poor season
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The run-in between the players, who for seasons have played side by side in Madrid's midfield, came after they argued this week in previous training sessions. But tempers boiled over on Thursday. Spanish media was rife with reports that the players previously disagreed over the club's decision to let coach Xabi Alonso go after just months on the job.
It was not the only altercation involving Madrid players during training this week. Álvaro Carreras confirmed he was in a “minor” incident with a teammate. Spanish media said he and fellow defender Antonio Rüdiger got into a scuffle.
Álvaro Arbeloa, the coach who was promoted from Madrid's reserve team when Alonso was fired in January, will face tough questions on what went wrong inside the changing room when he gives a press conference on Saturday ahead of the clasico at Camp Nou.
Madrid is facing a second consecutive campaign without a major trophy amid rumors in the Spanish media that club president Florentino Pérez is considering bringing back Jose Mourinho to straighten out his underperforming team.
