Bulli Bai Shocks India, Muslim Woman Auctioned Online With Obscene Photos

Photos of hundreds of Indian Muslim women were shared on an online auction app. (photo; twitter)

JAKARTA - Photos of hundreds of Indian Muslim women were shared on an app that has reportedly auctioned the women online. The images are sourced from their social media accounts and appear to have been fabricated and have sparked an uproar in the country.

The issue came to light after one of the anonymous Twitter users shared details about the app, called 'Bulli Bai', with a link to its page on the software development platform GitHub. On Saturday, January 1, several women tweeted about their names and faces being shared on the app.

New Delhi police have already received a sexual harassment complaint against an unknown perpetrator after a journalist reported that he had been targeted by the app, which has since been removed by GitHub.

It is very sad that as a Muslim woman you have to start your new year with this sense of fear & disgust. Of course, it goes without saying that I am not the only one being targeted in this new version of #sullideals. Screenshot sent by a friend this morning.

Happy new year. pic.twitter.com/pHuzuRrNXR

— Ismat Ara (@IsmatAraa) January 1, 2022

India's Information Technology Minister, Ashwini Vaishnaw, tweeted that the Computer Emergency Response Team – a cybersecurity agency under the IT Ministry – was also investigating the matter.

Noting that the new year has started with “fear & disgust”, a journalist, Ismat Ara, shared a screenshot of the app listing it as the “Bulli Bai of the day” on Twitter.

It’s high time our @DelhiPolice got cracking. Disgraceful that people of such mentality exist but if they are allowed to get away with it they will repeat the offense at the next opportunity. @HasibaAmin https://t.co/stm8wRlAqN

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) January 1, 2022

In her complaint, Ara noted that the portal "had my image fabricated in an inappropriate, unacceptable and clearly obscene context." He also said the term 'Bulli' was an insulting reference to Muslim women.

Several other prominent Muslim women also tweeted about being 'auctioned' on the site, with popular radio personality Sayema ​​noting that the incident was a "reflection on India's broken justice system, dilapidated law and order arrangements" and asking questions. asked if it "became the least safe country for women."

Social media users pointed to similarities between Bulli Bai and a defunct website called 'Sulli Deals', which also posted photos of Indian Muslim women and listed them 'for sale' last year. The app, which is also hosted on GitHub, has sparked outrage and promises of similar action.

A number of opposition politicians have considered this issue. They criticized the government of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Indian police for letting the "running hatred of women and the communal targeting of women" run wild.

“The communal humiliation and hatred of women will only stop when we all stand against it with one voice. The year has changed – now we have to speak up!” Indian National Congress Leader Rahul Gandhi was quoted as saying by RT.com.