'When Will Action Be Taken', Muslim Women Ask After 'Sulli Deals' 2.0 Surfaces

Photos of hundreds of Muslim women were uploaded by an unidentified group on an app named 'Bulli bai' using GitHub.

The 'Sulli Deals' app generated a Muslim woman's photo as the 'Sulli Deal of the Day,' in a shocking display of misogyny.

(Photo: Aroop Mishra/TheQuint)

Nearly months after two FIRs were filed by the Delhi and Uttar Pradesh Police in the 'Sulli Deals' controversy – where photos of Muslim women were misused – no concrete action has been taken against the perpetrators.

Meanwhile, on 1 January, in a repeat of the incident, hundreds of women woke up to their photos being misused, by a replica GitHub app called 'Bulli Bai.' The app showed a person's photo as the 'Bulli Bai of the day.'

When the Delhi Police tweeted that they have taken cognisance, hours after the 'Bulli Bai' app surfaced, several Muslim women, many of whom are victims, took to Twitter to ask – 'Why no action against Sulli Deals."

While 'Sulli' or 'Sulla' is a derogatory term used to for Muslims, 'Bulli' is most likely a spin on the term.

'It's Been Five Months Already'

"I am still waiting for it. It has been five months already," tweeted writer Nabiya Khan, whose photos were misused on Sulli Deals app.

"I am still waiting for it. It’s been five months already. What action will you take this time?" Khan wrote on Twitter.

The Congress party’s social media coordinator Hasiba Amin also took to Twitter and tagged Delhi Police saying, "I had filed an FIR in May with you, but you’ve done absolutely nothing. Now they’re back with this. Good job protecting women."

She had quote-tweeted it from an account named 'bulli bai' that is now suspended from the micro-blogging platform.

'Reflection Of India's Justice System'

Radio jockey Sayema, who has been featured, called it an "obnoxious" list and said it is a "reflection on India's broken justice system".

"I have censored myself, I hardly speak here anymore, but still, I am being sold online, I’m being made “deals” out of," she wrote, adding "how many online deals will it take for us to see action?" tweeted former journalist Hiba Beg.

Status Of the Case

Uttar Pradesh Police registered an FIR under Section 509 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) – insulting the modesty of a woman – and Sections 66 and 67 of the Information Technology Act – transferring obscene material.

In Delhi, an FIR was registered under Section 354A (sexual harassment ) of the IPC on 8 July after the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) wrote to the cops, demanding action.

Not a single arrest has been made in connection with the case until now.

A Delhi Police officer, who is involved with the investigation, told The Quint:

"We have written to GitHub to give us more information about the app which was started. Our team has reached out to them several times over the last two months. A protocol has to be followed and it might take a few months for them to respond."

Mumbai Police to Probe?

Shiv Sena's Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi, who had written to the Centre several times pushing for an investigation into the matter, said that she has spoken to Mumbai Commissioner of Police Hemant Nagrale to investigate into the matter.

"Frankly, there are some issues that should rise above politics. More so when you hold a constitutional position of heading the Ministry of Women and Child Development. Speaking for rights of women – no matter which religion they belong to – is the duty of the minister," Chaturvedi had told The Quint, earlier in September.

Chaturvedi further asked if the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology can summon other platforms like Twitter and Facebook, why not do the same for GitHub.