Indian Express Slammed for Islamophobic Front-page Ad

New Delhi, 02 Jan 2022 [Fik/News Sources]: Prominent English daily Indian Express, has drawn flak for an Islamophobic front page advertisement funded by Yogi Adityanath government. The ad promoted the UP govt’s claim that there are no more riots happening in the state after the BJP came to power.

The promotional ad depicts a man with kohl (surma) in his eyes and having trimmed beard, showing him as a rioter in the garb of a Muslim and the the same man is shown begging forgiveness. The said ad seems to claim that the rioter has learnt his lesson under BJP rule.

The ad is clearly discriminating and portrays a particular community as rioter. By publishing such ad on front page by one of the biggest newspapers means subscribing to Islamophobic mentality for which Indian Express has drawn flaks.

Professor Apoorvanand of the Delhi University, who is a frequent columnist for the newspaper while condemning the newspaper for carrying the advertisement said that he is shocked by the ‘open islamophobic propaganda’.

He also announced disassociation with the paper as a ‘writer’ and ‘buyer.’

Taking to Twiter, Apoorvanand said, “Shocked to see this open Islamophobic propaganda. Know the editors are secular but cannot rationalise it. In my small way, I register my protest by disassociating with it as a writer and buyer. Sad as I valued my association with it but there is something more sacred at stake,” he said in a tweet.

Another regular contributor, economist Jayathi Ghosh has also announced dissociation with the Indian Express and said the daily is promoting hatred by carrying the UP govt’s ad on its front page.

Another contributor at the Express, Salil Tripathi called the advertisement ‘tasteless’ and said that it reminded him of real images from the Gujarat riots of 2002.

Earlier also, the Indian Express had come under fire for carrying an ad by the UP government in which a flyover from Bengal was depicted as one that was built in Uttar Pradesh. However, the newspaper had apologised for the goof up.

Other than well known contributors, many people who are frequent to express their views on Twitter have condemned the ‘islamophobic’ ad which serves he purpose of UP’s BJP government.