Bulli Bai App: "Failure of Centre & States To Secure Minority Communities": Delhi High Court Women Lawyers Forum Writes To CJI Seeking Time-Bound Investigation

In the backdrop of illegal surveillance and auction of Muslim Women through apps like Bulli Bai and Sulli deals, the Delhi High Court Women Lawyers Forum has written to the Chief Justice of India seeking directions to ensure that a time bound investigation is conducted in this regard.

The letter petition has sought directions to strictly prohibit the auctions of human beings like inanimate objects.

The letter has further urged the Apex Court to monitor the criminal investigation being conducted by Mumbai Police and ensure that the investigation is carried out into the Sulli Deals and Bulli Bai App incidences including investigation into the sources of funding, handlers of the apps, money trail that financed them identifying the master minds behind the surveillance of Muslim women illegally auctioned vide the App.

The letter has sought appropriate directions to be issued to DM/ SP of every district for preventing the vilification of minorities, spread of fake news about them and calls for genocide against Minority Communities.

The letter petition has sought directions to the Central and State Government to secure and ensure to members of the Minority Community, an atmosphere within which they can enjoy their right to life with dignity and security.

The letter has stated that the apps like Sulli Deals have created a sense of extreme insecurity among Muslim women in India, especially in the back drop of public calls of genocide of the Muslim community and have raised serious questions on the failure of the Indian law enforcement agencies, to ensure that the Fundamental Right to Life with Dignity is secured to all persons irrespective of their religion.

"These incidents are not only symbols of misogyny and communal enmity, but also show lack of respect and no sense of fear of the law among developers and users of such apps. Clearly it is felt by the perpetrators that there need be no shame, guilt or fear for their actions," the letter states.

The letter has stated that considering the current environment in the country with increasing incidents of violence against individuals and institutions of minority communities perpetrated by anti-social and communal elements, it is obvious that the women named in the app could well be in grave personal danger.

Urging the Court to treat their letter as a letter petition, the Forum has also referred to other incidents of 'the dehumanization of minorities by using pejoratives, likening them to animals and germs, spreading fake news by disseminating fearful stereotypes, inciting others to harass or boycott the targeted communities, and giving calls for genocide against minority communities.'

According to the forum, it is approaching the Court to highlight the failure of the law enforcement agencies, Central and State Governments to secure to the Minority Communities in India.

The letter has argued that the lack of action on the Sulli Deals case emboldened the culprits to use pictures of free thinking women who are considered independent with dissenting voices with impunity .

While stating that the list also included the name of spouse of a sitting Judge of a High Court, the letter has argued that the same amounts to a grave attack on the independence of the judiciary and may have a chilling effect on the ability of other Muslims to take up the position of being judges of the High Court and other courts, as Muslims are already disproportionately represented in the judiciary.