Riz Ahmed slams those supporting Asifa's rapists

Ahmed says politicians and judges are marching in support of the rapists because the victim was Muslim

MUMBAI: The brutal gang rape and murder of the eight-year-old Muslim girl, Asifa Bano, hailing from the nomadic Bakarwal community in the Kathua district of occupied Kashmir has sent shock waves throughout India.

While many celebs came forward to stand against the heinous crime and demand justice for the little girl, some Hindu extremists decided to support the rapists.

PHOTO: HINDUSTAN TIMES



Pakistani-British actor Riz Ahmed slammed the rapists' supporters, saying that the racists politics can easily divide a society.

Taking to Twitter, Ahmed wrote, "Politicians and judges are marching in SUPPORT of the rapists of an 8-year-old girl in India - because the victim was Muslim. This is what racist politics does to a society."

https://twitter.com/rizmc/status/984819421737660417

Meanwhile, Bollywood celebrities, along with thousands of Mumbaikars, gathered on Sunday for a peaceful protest against the barbaric rape and murder of Asifa and the sexual assault of another young girl in Unnao, Uttar Pradesh.

Bollywood celebrities such as Rajkummar Rao, Sameera Reddy, Twinkle Khanna along with her son Arav, Akshay Kumar, music director Vishal Dadlani, film-maker Kiran Rao, Aditi Rao Hydari and veteran actor Helen were among many others who came on the streets of Bandra to protest against the rape incidents and seek justice.

PHOTO: HINDUSTAN TIMES

The protesters were seen holding placards and posters that read #JusticeforAsifa.

Some young girls were also present at the gathering holding posters that read, "This is not just rape, this is genocide with state support."



One girl clad in a burqa was spotted holding a placard with "Before having a Swachh Bharat, we want a safe Bharat" written on it.

Vishal Dadlani said, "We want to stop this nonsense now. We want action and we want it now! Once the man is accused and guilty of raping and killing a baby girl, he should be hanged then and then. Don't let this matter be pushed aside by the news-cycle driven media. Raise your voice, put up your own pictures."

PHOTO: HINDUSTAN TIMES

Another activist stated, "Our gathering shows that we as a community stand for the cause; there is a helplessness that we all feel and therefore we are standing here. We want justice."



While tensions between Pakistan and India have recently been on the high, celebrities from both sides of the border have come together to now demand justice for innocent Asifa.

Several actors such as Kareena Kapoor Khan, Swara Bhaskar, Sonam Kapoor, Armeena Rana Khan, Priyanka Chopra, Anushka Sharma, Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Mini Mathur also held posters demanding  justice for the eight-year-old girl.

Kathua district court today directed that chargesheet copies be provided to all the accused in the case. The court set the next hearing date as April 28. All the accused were brought to court today.

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