In a show of extreme yet selective fanaticism, a 22- year old girl belonging to Shimoga district was trolled online apparently by Muslim extremists for taking part in a Kananda singing show and singing a Hindu devotional song.
Suhana Saeed was auditioning for a singing reality show. Wearing a hijab, she mesmerized the judges and audience by her singing that lasted less than two minutes. The judges were blindfolded and could only judge a contestant by his/her voice and singing capibilities and not appearance.
Saeed received a standing ovation from everyone in the audition with many lauding her choice of song. However, a facebook page by the name Managalore Muslims accused her of bringing 'disgrace' to the Muslim community by singing in front of men, adding that now she should give up the pardah she is wearing as she doesn't deserve it.
Although, the judges of the show did laud her and urged her to become a symbol of unity between Hindus and Muslims, CNN News 18 reported that she has gone into hiding ever since the backlash.
However, as many supporters of the singer who questioned her trolls said, the hypocrisy is evident in selective fury. Mangalore Muslims did not create outrage over Muslim actors playing Hindu rolls in cinema or vice versa, but perhaps assuming the young aspiring singer to be a weak target, they trolled her and even asserted that she will not go to heaven as her parents have encouraged her to show her beauty to other men.
One facebook user even pointed out the patriarchal attitude of the page, arguing "If the contestant was a man, would you have reacted the same way?"
