Lois Sofia, who is studying in Canada, was arrested Monday in Tuticorin after her plane landed. She is reported to have shouted “fascist BJP government down, down” on board a flight in the presence of Tamil Nadu BJP president Tamilisai Soundararajan. Ms Soundararajan filed a complaint with the airport police.
Ms Sofia was sent to judicial custody for 15 days, her lawyer E Athisayakumar told the local media.
BJP leader Ms Soundararajan was quoted by the Indian Express saying, “She shouted that slogan and used the word ‘fascist’, raising her fist and all. I thought I shouldn’t ignore a terrorist, so I filed a petition.”
Later she questioned opposition Congress for accusing her of intolerance. She tweeted, “Cong got two girls arrested in Pondy for FB comments on kartichidambaram. Now you are preaching tolerance? complaining to appropriate authority for co-passengers unruly behaviour inside aircraft is anyone's fundamental right You Call it power arrogance?”
The incident has sparked a debate on social media with a campaign “#ReleaseSophia” going viral.
Social activist Kavita Krishnan tweeted in Sofia's support.
“Kudos #Sophia for courageously calling out the truth and raising your fearless eyes to look right into the eyes of the fascists and speak truth to power,” said Krishnan.
Filmmaker Ashoke Pandit, on the other hand, questioned Sofia’s background. He said, “Who is this #Sophia from Canada? Her background should be investigated. Is she also an #UrbanNaxal? I am quite sure she is...”
Renowned actor Prakash Raj came in support of Sofia. He tweeted, “#sophia....didn’t you know that.....THEY can abuse...fake..create a lie and call everyone names they choose...but they don’t like to be called by their NAME and addressed for what they ARE.”
Another Twitter user, who goes by the name DasBolshevik, said, “What has irked the BJP the most is not that someone called them fascist. Even they know they are. The problem is that ordinary people who are not from the Political Fraternity are humiliating them. Remember that Brahmin supremacy is built on a God complex.”
Many have expressed their concerns over the treatment Sofia received for a bailable offence. Political satirist Akash Banerjee called for a massive public outrage against what he described as “fascist forces” questioning the decision of sending Sofia to judicial custody.
He said, “15 days for raising ur voice? Perhaps police/courts realised their brazenness. While #Sophia has been granted bail, there's an important lesson here....No political party is coming to save you. Only massive public outrage can prevent #Fascist forces.”
While the author and columnist Sankrant Sanu termed Sofia as “symptom of hate.”
He said, “#Sophia is simply a symptom of hate. A pustule filled with toxic goo breaks. Daily hate being bred by Left ideologies for their dystopia of a violent "class war" where this hate is turned into genocide in the streets. Just like their forebears from Stalin to Mao to Pol Pot.”
Share
