Shruti Seth's Strong Open Letter After Being Abused On Twitter

Actress Shruti Seth was recently subjected to highly vulgar abuses on Twitter, after she posted a tweet, criticising Narendra Modi's "Selfie With Daughter" campaign.

Supporters of BJP and the Prime Minister, trolled the actress with words like 'whore' and 'bitch' for expressing her view on the Modi led campaign. It all started when Shruti posted, "Selfies don't bring about change, reform does. So please try and be bigger than a photograph #SelfieWithDaughter (sic)"

Soon, the actress became victim to a series of abuses and trolls on Twitter. Although, Shruti Seth replied to her haters with some strong words, such abusive tweets continued to flood the social networking site for two days.

Though, Shruti received good amount of support too for her stand, such abusive tweets have certainly hurt the actress who happens to be a mother of a girl child.

Now, Shruti shared an open letter on Twitter in which she mentioned how she was abused for expressing her view. She also politely slammed all those who pretend to support the cause of 'Selfie With Daughter' but did not hesitate to abuse a daughter, wife and mother on social media with such slang words.

Read the full letter in the slider...

Letter To The Entire Nation

Letter To The Entire Nation

I write this to an entire nation because no one individual can be held responsible for bringing about change in the mindset of a billion odd people. Change can only happen if there is awareness at an individual level.

Shruti's View

Shruti's View

On the morning of 28th June, I made the grave mistake of expressing my views on an initiative called #selfiewithdaughter which had been blessed by our PM. Most people found it to be a sweet gesture and a means to create awareness about female infanticide. I, sadly, didn't find the idea very palatable. Keep in mind that I have an eleven-month daughter of my own. But I expect more from the man who's supposed to usher in a new era of change, not just tenuous surface-level initiatives.

Result Of Expressing Her View

Result Of Expressing Her View

I then made a graver mistake of posting this opinion on Twitter. So not only did I dare to think, I also dared to place my thoughts in the public domain. And then, at the risk of sounding overly-Shakespearean, the floodgates of hell opened. I was subjected to a tsunami of hate tweets. 48 hours of non stop trolling. The tweets were targeted at me, my family, my 'Muslim' husband, my 11 month old daughter and, of course, my non-existent, dwindling, no-good career as an actor.

Daring To Criticise The PM

Daring To Criticise The PM

I had made an unsavoury comment about our Prime Minister by calling him - *gasp* - #selfieobsessed and asking him to choose reform over gimmickry. Was I wrong? Was I too harsh? Apparently, for those who support him and the ruling government, unquestioningly so. I, as a member of the tax-paying electorate of India, did not have the right to comment on his policy. I had dared to challenge his authority. I had abused the highest office of the country (which is the President, by the way).

Does She Deserve This?

Does She Deserve This?

And so I deserved to be punished. And punished In a manner commensurate with the vitriol that the anonymity & access of Twitter so easily provide. Men and women alike said the most vile things about me, stripping me of all my dignity as someone's daughter, wife and mother and most importantly a woman. Men who were busy hash-tagging their selfies with their daughters one minute called me slanderous names the next. Asked me if I knew who my real father was. Questioned if I had been sexually abused as a child and hence was opposed to the idea of a selfie with my father. And these are the relatively polite ones. Well done, gentlemen. Your daughters must be so proud.

Women Against Woman

Women Against Woman

Women, who are meant to empower each other, asked me if I was a prostitute and if I was planning on doing the same with my daughter. Whether I was trying to gain some fame and resurrect my failed career by using the prime minister's name. I shudder to think of the deep respect your sons will have for the opposite sex.

Point Well Made

Point Well Made

So here's the thing. What is the point of taking selfies with your girls when you're also responsible for creating the most toxic environment for them to grow up in? How will taking a photograph nullify the misogyny and patriarchy that is so deeply entrenched in our society?

Did You Think?

Did You Think?

Why bother to increase the number of girls being born when you choose to treat them with such indignity and disrespect?
All those who trolled me incessantly for forty eight hours, did you for once stop and think that I, too, am someone's daughter? Did you ever ask yourselves how you'd feel if it were your daughter at the receiving end of all that hate? I'm guessing the answer is a big, resounding "No". Because, you know, you were too busy pouting for the camera & getting 'likes' and 'RT's to your #selfiewithdaughter.

Direct Message To The PM

Direct Message To The PM

As for our esteemed PM, I have this to say to him:
Dear Sir,

If you truly wish to empower women I urge you to condemn this kind of hatred being spread in your name. Regretfully, I deleted my initial tweet because of the backlash. But I stand by what I said and I'll reiterate it here: "Selfies don't bring about change, reform does. So please try and be bigger than a photograph. Come on!"

The Last Words

The Last Words

And as for my initial reservation about the initiative being nothing more than eyewash, I am deeply saddened to see that, in the end, I was proved right.

Read more about: shruti seth narendra modi

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