SOUTH
Smear campaign from religious fanatics is not new to Azniya Ashmin, who rose to fame with the viral song ‘Maheele Pembillare Kandikka.’ But the concerted campaign to malign her is getting serious with threats being aired on social media warning acid attack on her after Ashmin stood strong against the extremists.
The latest provocation was a Facebook post in which Ashmin posted her photo with her friends. The extremist elements from her locality in Nadapuram in Kozhikode started attacking her for not covering her head, as “good Muslim girls would do.” Lewd comments have begun to spam her Facebook wall. A campaign on WhatsApp is also doing rounds against her.
“I may cover my head or not. I would pose for photo with my friends. It's my choice,” Ashmin responded to the cyber attack on her. ‘Brothers,’ don’t play protectors and try to impose your morality on me, the law student added.
Her bold stance and fearless criticism of religious extremists irked many. Some of them even started a dedicated Facebook page for ‘Ashmi Aznia trolls’ to with numerous posts to malign her.
The other day, she posted a photo of her sitting with writers Lazar Shine, Rekha Raj and singer Oorali Martin. This also provoked some self-proclaimed protectors of religion and modesty of women.
Veiled threats changed tone with this. “Let her live as she wishes. If her parents don't care, why should we? But if she starts barking against Islam, we should pour acid on her face. Let's see who would stay close to her once her face turns ugly, a Facebook user Muneer Dheera wrote in her comment box.”
With the threat of acid attack, support is pouring in for Ashmin on social media. This is not the first time that Islamic fundamentalists are targeting women for not sticking to what they define as ‘Islamic dress code’ and modesty. Earlier Mollywood actor Asif Ali came under attack on social media for posting his family photo. But he defied the fundamentalists by posting more photographs of his wife.