YouTuber Bapan Nandi from Tripura’s Udaipur was thrashed and humiliated publicly for ‘casting Hindu models in his Eid music video’ last Saturday.
The video of him being charged by a group of angry mob and interrogated as to why he had cast the Hindu girls for portraying apparently Muslim characters in the video went viral on social media platforms.
As soon as the video of Nandi being thrashed was posted online, several netizens condemned the violence and called it an ‘attack’ in an attempt of promoting communal harmony.
A number of Youtubers have created videos extending solidarity to Nandi. Even the girls who acted in the video had also issued video statements.
Uma Debnath and Sneha Bhowmik, two models who worked in the music video, also issued video statements and said that they had no objection to portray any character in music videos as the nature of their job demands this kind of transition in roles. They have also categorically said that they were never forced to act in the music video.
Now, Hindu Jagaran Manch (HJM), a Right-wing Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) affiliate organisation, Tuesday filed a police complaint against Bapan Nandi.
While the police said no FIR has been lodged on the complaint so far, Nandi said he was summoned by the police and is expected to make himself available at the Radhakishorepur police station on Wednesday.
The controversy started with one Siddique Hossain, a YouTuber from Agartala, wanting to shoot a video to release on Eid this year. Recounting his “harrowing experience”, Nandi said he is a professional YouTuber and content creator who has his presence on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and other social media platforms.
“Eight of us shot the video, including two of us from Udaipur. The album was posted on Siddique bhai’s page on April 21 and I posted it the next day. A panchayat deputy pradhan, Anu Murasingh, called me that night itself and asked me to visit Police Lines, which is roughly 3-4 km from my residence. No sooner did I reach the spot, the woman and a youth started assaulting me,” Nandi said as per a report in the Indian Express.
He added that there were people around when he was being assaulted but nobody came to his aid.
He also said, “I’m a Hindu myself and I would never disrespect my religion. I believe my religion is the best but it is fine for actors to act in cinemas. How is it a crime?”
