What happened: online harassment and doxxing concerns linked to student protests at Jantar Mantar
Several letters to the editor responded to student protests at Jantar Mantar by highlighting allegations of online harassment and abuse connected to the protests.
Two prominent lines of concern appear across the letters: Online harassment of women who participated in the protests, including calls for resignation of the then Education Minister.Doxxing and cyberbullying directed at women students who said they were exercising democratic rights and anger at events during the protests.
Background and earlier position: why the letters treat harassment as a governance and rights issue
One letter argues that protection for citizens who speak out against perceived wrongdoing must go along with protection for those facing online harassment; public trust is treated as inseparable from such protection. The letter also expresses hope that police and courts will act once the matter becomes widely visible.
Another letter describes it as disturbing that women students exercising democratic rights are subjected to doxxing and cyberbullying. It also expresses frustration that police have not taken cognisance and characterises the situation as reflecting lawlessness, coupled with a call for government action.
Related current affairs
- LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: Stop the intimidation
- Letter: Stop the intimidation
- Letters: Additional responses on cyberbullying and police inaction (by Arathi Krishna S.S.; Unnikrishnan S. Menon; D. Sethuraman)
- LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: Anguished and condemning harassment after protests
- LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: Concerns about cyberbullying and police inaction
- Congress leader demands a judicial inquiry into the police action during student protests