Celebs condemn Kathua, Unnao rape cases on twitter

Members of the Indian film fraternity have condemned two rape incidents — in Kathua and Unnao — which have sent shockwaves across the country. Celebrities like Javed Akhtar, Farhan Akhtar and Nimrat Kaur and have called it a gut wrenching, horrendous and disgusting act, for which they have demanded justice.

The celebrities have demanded severe punishment for the “blood curdling barbarism”.

An eight-year-old girl’s body was recovered from Rassana forest in Kathua district of Jammu on January 17, a week after she went missing while grazing horses in the forest area. She was held captive inside a temple, and was sedated before being raped and murdered.

In Unnao in Uttar Pradesh, a case involving the alleged gang rape of a girl by a BJP legislator and others, and the death of her father in police custody, has come to light.

Here’s what the celebrities tweeted:

Ritesh Deshmukh: A 8 year old is drugged, raped & murdered and another one is fighting for justice for herself and the death of her father in custody. We have a choice either raise your voice or be a silent spectator. ‘Stand up for what is right even if you are standing alone.’

Dia Mirza: My heart is broken and I am filled with anger and disgust. Asifa has suffered and gone at the hands of criminals who have also evidently murdered our collective conscience!

Javed Akhtar: All those who wish justice for women should stand up and raise their voices against the rapists and their protectors in Unnao and Kathua.

Tisca Chopra: So pained to read about Unnao and Kathua rapes… How strongly the government responds will be its true test. At least I won’t vote for them coming elections if they don’t take action this time.

Farhan Akhtar: Imagine what goes through the mind of an 8-year-old as she is drugged, held captive, gang raped over days and then murdered. If you don’t feel her terror, you are not human. If you don’t demand Asifa get justice, you belong to nothing.

Tammannah Bhatia: An 8-year-old raped in J&K. A 16-year-old raped and a protesting father beaten to death in order to protect the rapist. Where is this country headed? How many Nirbhayas need to be sacrificed before reforms are made. A country that can’t keep its women safe is a country with a rather regressive mentality that needs therapy.

Nimrat Kaur: Equal rights/ gender bias/ pay disparity all seem like such distant, first world concerns. Let’s begin with addressing the unmentionable horrors of the absense of humanity. The only way forward, if at all, from this blood curdling barbarism is justice. Heartbroken and aghast. Asifa.

Renuka Shahane: The religion of the victim and the religion of the rapist should never matter! It is of no consequence! Rape is a crime against humanity! Appalled that some people can actually support rapists! Shocked beyond belief! RIP humanity!

Swara Bhasker: Revolting! Kathua.

Vir Das: I can’t breathe after reading this. I need to share it. And so do you. Please do. Justice for Asifa. Dear politicians, I’d like to see every one of you miserable scum and your army of slimy sycophants put your parties and your bullshit aside and do something to make sure that no child ever has to face what this girl did. But you won’t. Because you don’t deserve this country.

Rahul dholakia: Jai Shri Ram, once again the cry of murder, rape, police cover up! Hang them on Red Fort on August 15.

Nikkhil Advani: Asifa… Every day the conscience of this country dies a bit more.

Rahul Bose: Gut wrenching. Unimaginable depravity that is disturbing on so many levels. Our response will decide what we have become as a society.

Ranvir Shorey: If these people had an iota of reverence and respect for Hinduism, they’d be up in arms against the people who used a temple to torture, rape and murder a child! These are slogans to be used when the people who have committed these crimes are hanged! Utterly appalling that slogans like ‘Jai Shri Ram’ and ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ are being used to defend perpetrators of heinous crimes. These vicious beasts will destroy India and Hinduism. Unnao and Kathua.

Richa Chadha: These men fast on Navratras and pray to Devi Ma, yet they defend a man who plotted the rape, torture and murder of a child inside a temple. Look at them, Shame them. If a stray news report can make credible people. Hindu haters why are these fake Hindus not unemployed.

Sophie Choudry: I can’t even read the full report… so angry and ashamed that this horrific crimes keep taking place in our country! What that little eight-year-old went through.. I can’t even. These monsters need to tortured and hanged. Nothing less will do.

Atul Kasbekar: Attention famous people with blue ticks. Please look at the face of this eight-year-old angel. She was kidnapped, drugged, tortured, gangraped for days and murdered. It is time to use your clout to say something that pressures justice is swift, sure and as brutal as what this girl went through