New Delhi: Entrepreneur and Shark Tank India judge Namita Thapar has been caught in a controversial online dispute after a video she shared about the health benefits of namaz caused trolling to go viral on social media.
The controversy started when Thapar posted a video after Eid where she discussed how some poses during namaz might be beneficial to both physical and mental health. Using yoga as an example, she said that movements that are used in prayer could be used to enhance posture, digestion, and stress.
Although, as she claims, she did so on a health and wellness front, the internet reacted strongly. One part of the users was condemning her because she was talking about a religious practice, whilst the other was doubting her intentions. What ensued was not only discord but weeks of personal attacks.
Thapar, according to reports, stated she had endured online abuse almost three weeks. Her trolling did not just concern her alone, but even her family including her mother was the subject of the derogatory comments.
Thapar finally broke her silence with another video on the backlash. Clearly angry, she explained that it was no longer possible to remain silent. According to her, silence is not virtue and it is important to speak up when the dignity is compromised.
She also wondered about what she termed as selective outrage. Thapar has mentioned that she has already published content on such Hindu activities as yoga and Surya Namaskar and has not received such criticism before. Why the blowback this time? This question now forms the crux of the bigger discussion surrounding her video.
In her reply she emphasized that her opinions were not propagating any religion. Rather, she claimed that her view is developed due to her experience in the field of healthcare and her desire to know more about overall wellness. She was quite straightforward, practices, whether religious or otherwise, can even be scientifically or health-related.
The case however also demonstrates a more fundamental problem about the rapidness of social media discourse becoming toxic. A health-conscious post has quickly evolved into a full-fledged scandal that unveiled the dark side of the online media.
Thapar, in another statement, called upon people to consider respect. She commented that the R in religion needs to be respect, and that people need to be more tolerant in their reaction to divergent opinions.
Interestingly, she did not only defend herself, but also singled out the culture of hate on the internet and in general. In one of her replies she touched on the idea of karma, and remarked that God is watching, which instantly became viral and touched some of her followers.
Thapar has stood up against the criticism. She has neither deleted her original video nor backed down from her stance. Rather, she has decided to face the matter directly even asking her followers to be positive rather than negative.
The episode has sparked wider discussions beyond just one video. It has brought into question the freedom of expression, religious sensitivity, and the limits of the public discourse, in particular, when it concerns the influential leaders speaking on social subject matter.
To many, this is not only regarding Namita Thapar. It illustrates the polarisation of religious discussions that are so simple to achieve in the digital era. It also demonstrates how social personalities are becoming more and more required to tread these delicate grounds with caution, despite their motives not necessarily being provocative.
Fundamentally, the incident is a reminder of the strength and traps of social media. One post where knowledge is to be shared may easily turn into a national debate.
In the meantime, Thapar appears to be straight. She has decided to speak, not remain silent- and by so doing has transformed one trolling event into a bigger discussion on how to be respectful, consistent, and accountable online.
<p>The post Why did Namita Thapar say ‘God Is Watching’ amid Namaz row? Explained first appeared on Hello Entrepreneurs.</p>
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