Attacking Gurgaon school bus is terrorism: Twitter users react sharply
Accused sent to 14-day judicial custody
18 people were arrested and sent to 14-day judicial custody for attacking a school bus in Gurgaon on January 24. These people were part of a protest against the release of Sanjay Leela Bhanshali's film Padmaavat. Despite the timely arrests being made, social media was up in arms, raising a vital question: why are the perpetrators not being considered terrorists.
Accused, in connection with the attack on a school bus in #Gurugram sent to 14 days judicial custody by Sohna Court. #Padmaavat
— ANI (@ANI) January 25, 2018
According to reports, the protesters were pelting stones at state buses when a school bus, containing students and teachers, was caught in the crossfire. The protesters did not stop pelting stones even after it became apparent that the bus was shuttling children. The bus driver sped away and saved the passengers from getting hurt. Following the attack, schools in Gurgaon, including Pathways school, GD Goenka School, Shiv Nadar School and Delhi Public School remained closed on January 25.
Haryana: A school bus attacked by vandals protesting against release of #Padmavaat in #Gurugram (Pictures from User Video) pic.twitter.com/rAQTPJaILD
— ANI (@ANI) January 24, 2018
A video of the incident triggered outrage on social media, with many questiong the inteptitude of the state government and law enforcement agencies, something that has been the focal point of critcism in Haryana, in light of multiple recent cases of sexual violence and rape.
As soon as we came out of the school the bus was attacked. Even the police could not control them. The children somehow took cover inside the bus.: School staff on their school bus attacked by vandals in protest against release of #Padmavaat in Gurugram, #Haryana pic.twitter.com/4mebxa2jNB
— ANI (@ANI) January 24, 2018
Meanwhile, the Rajput Karni Sena, a right-wing Hindu group that rose to fame in the past year for vehemently protesting Padmavati, denied having any role in the attack on the schools bus. Vijendra Singh, a Karni Sena spoekesperson, said, “Rajputs can never even think of attacking a school bus. This is a plot being created by politicians, who wish to weaken our peaceful protest.”
Attacking a school bus is not an agitation. It is terrorism. The people who did it are terrorists. Please refer to them as such.
— Farhan Akhtar (@FarOutAkhtar) January 25, 2018
Yes, they are terrorists. And so were those who had lynched Mohd Akhlaq, Pehlu Khan, Hafiz Junaid, Alimuddin Ansari, had driven Rohith Vemula to suicide & have been terrorizing students on campuses & Dalits in Gujarat & UP & elsewhere. But they are somebody's "good terrorists". https://t.co/Dk5sVKijPw
— Ashish Khetan (@AashishKhetan) January 25, 2018
While I unconditionally criticize #KarniSenaViolence, I also have an intense feeling that this is all politically motivated and a set up to revive the Hindu intolerance agenda. Rajputs will never attack children. Gurugram school bus case seems to be someone else's doing.
— Sonam Mahajan (@AsYouNotWish) January 24, 2018
Thank you. The show is on a break. I repeat: if gangs wearing skullcaps or Sikh turbans committed or threatened violence in the name of their community the media would be quick to call them terrorists, yet the #KarniSena is still "the fringe" & "activists"! Why? #Padmavaat https://t.co/z8jawfzZO3
— Anna MM Vetticad (@annavetticad) January 24, 2018
Maybe if Karni Sena enrolled into JNU some action might be taken against them
— Tanmay Bhat (@thetanmay) January 24, 2018
14 days judicial custody. Are u fucking kidding me? Tell them to do the same to their kids. Do they even realise the trauma small kids have gone thru coz of their illiterate 3rd class mentality. This country has gone to dogs.ohh mayb even dogs have better sense than these retards
— Crazy Bawee (@khushy23) January 25, 2018
Children of my country shiver with fear and cry....as karni Sena attacks a school bus....The elected Government looks the other way..The opposition party diplomatically reacts...aren’t u all ashamed to trade our children’s safety ..for ur vote bank politics..#justasking
— Prakash Raj (@prakashraaj) January 24, 2018
Every act of benevolence or hatred these days is done to please a constituency. I want to know who are the people who support an attack on children.
— Sudhir Mishra (@IAmSudhirMishra) January 24, 2018
There will never be a cause big enough to justify violence against children. Violence and hatred are the weapons of the weak. The BJP's use of hatred and violence is setting our entire country on fire.
— Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) January 24, 2018
Nobody has seen an ape turned into a human being, but sometine u see a human turning into an ape.( Gurgaon school bus attack)#PadmaavatRow
— Ankur Sachan (@ankurpisces9) January 25, 2018
Law & order situation in Haryana is bad for different reasons. In Gurgaon now one School bus has been attacked against release of film Padmavat. Appeal to people to believe in Censor Board & non violence but to show their anger when time comes to form Govt in Centre & States.
— SHARAD YADAV (@SharadYadavMP) January 24, 2018
Addressing a press conference on Thursday, Haryana DGP denied charges of police inaction and said that it would be difficult for the accused to get bail.
#WATCH DGP Haryana addresses the media over law and order situation in the state #Padmaavat https://t.co/LnzgC8dVla
— ANI (@ANI) January 25, 2018