{"id":158905,"date":"2023-06-22T16:56:48","date_gmt":"2023-06-22T11:26:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.altnews.in\/english-clone-2026\/?p=158905"},"modified":"2023-06-23T12:28:35","modified_gmt":"2023-06-23T06:58:35","slug":"mera-abdul-aisa-nahi-hai-how-the-abdul-trope-has-been-mainstreamed-to-demonise-muslim-men","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.altnews.in\/english-clone-2026\/mera-abdul-aisa-nahi-hai-how-the-abdul-trope-has-been-mainstreamed-to-demonise-muslim-men\/","title":{"rendered":"‘Mera Abdul Aisa Nahi Hai’: How the ‘Abdul’ trope has been mainstreamed to demonise Muslim Men"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u2018Uska Abdul alag tha\u2019 (Translation: Her Abdul was different), wrote<\/a> verified Twitter user Arpita Shaiva earlier this month while tweeting an image of a man on a motorcycle apparently carrying a corpse. Albeit short and seemingly benign, the caption had a sinister implication in the larger scheme of the demonisation of Muslims in public discourse. <\/span>Of late, \u2018Abdul\u2019 has become a placeholder name for Muslim men in social and mainstream media. Primarily used by Right Wing influencers, the catchline \u2018Mera Abdul Alag Hai\u2019 (Translation: My Abdul is Different) is a sarcastic jibe at interfaith relationships involving Muslim men, placing all of them under a single category and insinuating that all Muslim men are potential killers.<\/p>\n

According to an Alt News fact check, <\/a>the photograph in Arpita’s tweet actually showed a biker delivering a dismantled mannequin to a garment store in Cairo.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The ‘Abdul’ Trope<\/h4>\n

In Arabic, the word ‘abd al’ means ‘servant of the…’. Thus, ‘Abdul<\/a>‘ is normally a component of a compound name referring to one of the attributes of Allah mentioned in the Qur’an or the Hadith, which would mean ‘Servant of God’ (‘Abdul Aziz’ means Servant of the Powerful). It is a common name among Muslim males.<\/span><\/p>\n

We could find instances of the use of ‘Abdul’ in a generalized reference to Muslim men as early as in December 2014. Several users<\/a> tweeted the text “\u0939\u093f\u0902\u0926\u0942\u2019 \u0924\u094b \u092e\u0902\u0926\u092c\u0941\u0926\u094d\u0927\u0940, \u0914\u0930 \u0905\u092c\u094d\u0926\u0941\u0932 \u0928\u093f\u0915\u0932\u093e \u0924\u094b \u0906\u0924\u0902\u0915\u0940” (Translation: If one is ‘Hindu’, one is retarded, but if they are Abduls, they turn out to be terrorists), in the context of the Bangalore blast of 2014<\/a>, where the accused created a fake social media account to issue bomb threats using the name Abdul Khan, but later turned out to be a Hindu. At that point, it was more a snide remark than a concerted narrative.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Over the years, the trope was used by several users, including influencers, who tried to send out a message, attempting to generalize Muslim men. One of the early instances of this trope being used with negative connotations was in November 2016. Several users<\/a> tweeted out a satirical message, seemingly calling out the Opposition’s attempt to appease the Muslims. The text reads, ‘\u0938\u093f\u092e\u0940 \u090f\u0928\u0915\u093e\u0909\u0902\u091f\u0930 \u092b\u0930\u094d\u091c\u0940, \u0938\u0930\u094d\u091c\u093f\u0915\u0932 \u0938\u094d\u091f\u094d\u0930\u093e\u0907\u0915 \u092b\u0930\u094d\u091c\u0940, \u0915\u093e\u0932\u093e \u0927\u0928 \u0935\u093e\u092a\u0938\u0940 \u092b\u0930\u094d\u091c\u0940, \u0926\u0947\u0936 \u0915\u093e \u0935\u093f\u0915\u093e\u0938 \u092b\u0930\u094d\u091c\u0940, \u092e\u0948\u0902 \u092d\u094c\u0915\u0942\u0902 \u091c\u0940, \u092e\u0947\u0930\u0940 \u092e\u0930\u094d\u091c\u093c\u0940, \u0935\u094b\u091f \u0926\u0947\u0917\u093e \u092e\u0947\u0930\u093e \u0905\u092c\u094d\u0926\u0941\u0932 \u0926\u0930\u094d\u091c\u0940’. (Translation: Simi encounter is fake, Surgical strike is fake, Black money returning is fake, Country’s development is fake, I bark, my wish, my Abdul tailor will vote).<\/p>\n

\n

\u0938\u093f\u092e\u0940 \u090f\u0928\u0915\u093e\u0909\u0902\u091f\u0930 \u092b\u0930\u094d\u091c\u0940
\n\u0938\u0930\u094d\u091c\u093f\u0915\u0932 \u0938\u094d\u091f\u094d\u0930\u093e\u0907\u0915 \u092b\u0930\u094d\u091c\u0940
\n\u0915\u093e\u0932\u093e \u0927\u0928 \u0935\u093e\u092a\u0938\u0940 \u092b\u0930\u094d\u091c\u0940
\n\u0926\u0947\u0936 \u0915\u093e \u0935\u093f\u0915\u093e\u0938 \u092b\u0930\u094d\u091c\u0940
\n\u092e\u0948\u0902 \u092d\u094c\u0915\u0942\u0902 \u091c\u0940, \u092e\u0947\u0930\u0940 \u092e\u0930\u094d\u091c\u093c\u0940
\n\u0935\u094b\u091f \u0926\u0947\u0917\u093e \u092e\u0947\u0930\u093e \u0905\u092c\u094d\u0926\u0941\u0932 \u0926\u0930\u094d\u091c\u0940 #SIMI<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/FW9ZNB7Hct<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Amit Rajwant (@amitrajwant) November 2, 2016<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Shraddha Walkar Murder: The Mainstreaming of the ‘Abdul’ Trope<\/h4>\n

The use of the word ‘Abdul’ became mainstream and reached the larger masses in 2022. After the news of 26-year-old Shraddha Walkar’s gruesome murder broke, where her Muslim partner Aftab Ameen Poonawalla was an accused, <\/span>‘Abdul’<\/span><\/a> was a trending topic on social media. <\/span>The Right Wing ecosystem attempted to demonise the Muslim community by implying that being involved with a Muslim man or \u2018Abdul\u2019 would result in a fate similar to Shradhha\u2019s. Editor-in-chief of OpIndia, Nupur J Sharma, tweeted<\/a>, \u201cAapka Abdul bhi waisa hi hai<\/i>\u201d (Translation: Your Abdul is also the same). Her tweet garnered almost 30,000 likes and close to 7000 retweets.<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cAapka Abdul bhi waisa hi hai\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2014 Nupur J Sharma (@UnSubtleDesi) November 14, 2022<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Since then, the ‘Abdul’ trope has been tagged with the already existing \u2018Love Jihad\u2019 conspiracy theory, connecting an alleged crime to the accused\u2019s religious identity and holding the entire Muslim community accountable. Needless to say, the \u2018Abdul\u2019 narrative has also seeped into mainstream television, with news anchors openly using the term while reporting hate crimes.<\/span><\/p>\n

For instance, on June 9, 2023, Zee News tweeted a clip of their report on a case of alleged \u2018Love Jihad\u2019 wherein they claimed that a 20-year-old Hindu woman, who was being courted by a man who allegedly hid his Muslim identity, was later forced by him to convert to Islam and she consequently committed suicide. The clip was captioned \u2018\u201c\u092e\u0947\u0930\u093e \u0905\u092c\u094d\u0926\u0941\u0932 \u0935\u0948\u0938\u093e \u0928\u0939\u0940\u0902 \u0939\u0948\u201d \u0935\u093e\u0932\u094b\u0902 \u0915\u0947 \u0932\u093f\u090f \u0938\u092c\u0938\u0947 \u092c\u0921\u093c\u093e \u0938\u092c\u0915 \u0939\u0948 \u092f\u0947 \u0915\u0947\u0938\u2019 (Translation: This case is the biggest lesson for those who say \u2018My Abdul is not like that\u2019!). The channel ran similar suggestive tickers like \u201c\u0909\u0938\u0915\u093e \u2018\u0905\u092c\u094d\u0926\u0941\u0932\u2019 \u092d\u0940 \u0935\u0948\u0938\u093e \u0939\u0940 \u0928\u093f\u0915\u0932\u093e\u201d (Translation: Her \u2018Abdul\u2019 also turned out to be the same) throughout their reportage. (<\/span>Archive<\/span><\/a>)<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

#DNA<\/a> : ‘\u092e\u0947\u0930\u093e \u0905\u092c\u094d\u0926\u0941\u0932 \u0935\u0948\u0938\u093e \u0928\u0939\u0940\u0902 \u0939\u0948’ \u0935\u093e\u0932\u094b\u0902 \u0915\u0947 \u0932\u093f\u090f \u0938\u092c\u0938\u0947 \u092c\u0921\u093c\u093e \u0938\u092c\u0915 \u0939\u0948 \u092f\u0947 \u0915\u0947\u0938 !#LoveJihad<\/a> #Conversion<\/a> #Islam<\/a> | @irohitr<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/m7bbBpDwbc<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Zee News (@ZeeNews) June 9, 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

On June 8, 2023, the official handle of Right Wing propaganda outlet Sudarshan News tweeted a clip of Suresh Chavhanke\u2019s speech in Sangamner with the caption \u2018\u0938\u0902\u0917\u092e\u0928\u0947\u0930 \u0915\u093e \u0939\u093f\u0902\u0926\u0942 \u0915\u0939\u0924\u093e \u0925\u093e \u201c\u092e\u0947\u0930\u093e \u0905\u092c\u094d\u0926\u0941\u0932 \u0935\u0948\u0938\u093e \u0928\u0939\u0940\u0902 \u0939\u0948\u201d \u0924\u094b \u0938\u0941\u0930\u0947\u0936 \u091a\u0935\u094d\u0939\u093e\u0923\u0915\u0947 \u091c\u0940 \u0928\u0947 \u092c\u0924\u093e\u092f\u093e \u0909\u0938\u0928\u0947 \u0915\u094d\u092f\u093e \u0915\u093f\u092f\u093e\u2019 (Translation: The Hindu of Sangamner used to say \u2018My Abdul is not like that\u2019, so Suresh Chavhanke ji says what he did). Below is a translation of Suresh Chavhanke\u2019s speech, originally in Marathi.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018People of Sangamner used to say \u2018Mera Abdul Waisa Nahi hai\u2019, but your Abdul has now shown you that if your daughter sits in his auto-rickshaw\u2014he is the same age as her uncle\u2014he intentionally makes her sit on the front seat with him and touches her breasts. He is such a sinner. He has shown you that if you purchase bread from his bakery, it has his spit in it. He has shown you that if you purchase Biryani from Abdul, the Biryani contains pills to make you impotent. Abdul has shown you that whenever a prominent person comes to our place, he is killed\/attacked by 14-15 years old green \u092a\u093f\u0932\u0935\u0921\u00a0 <\/span><\/i>[a slang used for puppies]<\/span>. A man who has so much respect in the village is embarrassed and disrespected in Sangamner. Are you now you going to bear the insult now? <\/span><\/i>[Audience replies: <\/span>NO<\/span><\/i>]<\/span>. Are you going to do a Tit for Tat? <\/span><\/i>[Audience replies: <\/span>YES<\/span><\/i>]<\/span>\u2019<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

As is evident, Chavhanke uses the \u2018Abdul\u2019 rhetoric throughout the clip to address Muslims and demonises the entire community using hypothetical scenarios. (<\/span>Archive<\/span><\/a>)<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u0938\u0902\u0917\u092e\u0928\u0947\u0930 \u0915\u093e \u0939\u093f\u0902\u0926\u0942 \u0915\u0939\u0924\u093e, \u201c\u0925\u093e \u092e\u0947\u0930\u093e \u0905\u092c\u094d\u0926\u0941\u0932 \u0935\u0948\u0938\u093e \u0928\u0939\u0940\u0902 \u0939\u0948\u201d \u0924\u094b \u0938\u0941\u0930\u0947\u0936 \u091a\u0935\u094d\u0939\u093e\u0923\u0915\u0947 \u091c\u0940 \u0928\u0947 \u092c\u0924\u093e\u092f\u093e \u0909\u0938\u0928\u0947 \u0915\u094d\u092f\u093e \u0915\u093f\u092f\u093e@SureshChavhanke<\/a> #HinduHunkarSabha<\/a> #Sangmner<\/a> #Lovejihad<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/x1JSoVDhv6<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Sudarshan News (@SudarshanNewsTV) June 8, 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

It is pertinent to note that claims like Muslims are spitting in food items<\/a> or lacing Biriyani with impotency pills<\/a> have been debunked by Alt News in the past.<\/p>\n

In an <\/span>opinion piece<\/span><\/a> for ABP News titled, \u2018\u0915\u094b\u0908 \u0915\u0932\u094d\u092a\u0928\u093e \u0928\u0939\u0940\u0902, \u0920\u094b\u0938 \u0939\u0915\u0940\u0915\u0924 \u0939\u0948 \u0932\u0935-\u091c\u093f\u0939\u093e\u0926, 400 \u0938\u0947 \u0905\u0927\u093f\u0915 \u0910\u0938\u0947 \u092e\u093e\u092e\u0932\u094b\u0902 \u0915\u0940 \u092a\u0942\u0930\u0940 \u0938\u0942\u091a\u0940 \u0926\u093f\u0938\u0902\u092c\u0930 \u092e\u0947\u0902 \u0939\u092e\u0928\u0947 \u0938\u094c\u0902\u092a\u0940\u2019 (Translation: \u2018Love Jihad is not a fiction, it is a solid reality, we submitted a complete list of more than 400 such cases in December\u2019), Vinod Bansal, national spokesperson for the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, called for a nationwide law on anti-conversion and harsher punishments for those who committed crimes of \u2018Love Jihad\u2019. He wrote, \u2018\u0939\u093f\u0902\u0926\u0942 \u0938\u092e\u093e\u091c \u0915\u0947 \u0905\u0902\u0926\u0930 \u092d\u0940 \u092c\u0939\u0941\u0924\u0947\u0930\u0947 \u0932\u094b\u0917 \u0938\u0947\u0915\u0941\u0932\u0930-\u092c\u094d\u0930\u093f\u0917\u0947\u0921 \u0915\u0947 \u091f\u094d\u0930\u0948\u092a \u092e\u0947\u0902 \u0939\u0948\u0902. \u0935\u0947 \u0915\u0939\u0924\u0947 \u0939\u0948\u0902 \u0915\u093f \u0939\u093f\u0902\u0926\u0942-\u092e\u0941\u0938\u0932\u092e\u093e\u0928 \u0938\u0947 \u0915\u094d\u092f\u093e \u092b\u0930\u094d\u0915 \u092a\u0921\u093c\u0924\u093e \u0939\u0948, \u092e\u0947\u0930\u093e \u0905\u092c\u094d\u0926\u0941\u0932 \u0910\u0938\u093e \u0928\u0939\u0940\u0902 \u0939\u0948\u0964 \u0905\u092c \u091c\u094b \u0938\u094d\u0925\u093f\u0924\u093f\u092f\u093e\u0902 \u0910\u0938\u0940 \u0906 \u0930\u0939\u0940 \u0939\u0948\u0902 \u0915\u093f \u0915\u094b\u0908 \u092d\u0940 \u0905\u092c\u094d\u0926\u0941\u0932 \u0915\u0948\u0938\u093e \u092d\u0940 \u0939\u094b, \u0909\u0938\u0915\u0947 \u0905\u0902\u0926\u0930 \u0915\u093e \u0905\u092c\u094d\u0926\u0941\u0932\u094d\u0932\u093e \u0915\u092c \u0928\u093f\u0915\u0932 \u091c\u093e\u090f\u0917\u093e, \u0915\u093f\u0938\u0940 \u0915\u094b \u092a\u0924\u093e \u0928\u0939\u0940\u0902 \u0939\u0948\u0964\u2019 (Translation: Even within the Hindu society, many people are trapped in the secular brigade. They say Hindu-Muslim doesn\u2019t make a difference; my Abdul is not like that. Now the situations are such that no matter what kind of Abdul he is, no one knows when the Abdullah inside him will emerge).<\/span><\/p>\n

The ‘<\/b>Abdul’<\/b> in Audio-Visual Media\u00a0<\/b><\/h4>\n

Building on the larger \u2018Love Jihad\u2019 narrative and the \u2018Abdul\u2019 rhetoric set by the Right Wing ecosystem is a variety of audio-visual content, attempting to invoke and motivate even those among the unsuspecting ‘<\/span>Hindu Samaj’<\/span>\u00a0to wake up and ‘<\/span>save’<\/span> Hindu women from the clutches of \u2018Abduls\u2019.<\/span><\/p>\n

Fueling the Narrative through Mainstream Movies\u00a0<\/b><\/h4>\n

The propaganda film, ‘The Kerala Story’, was one of the first and major instances of ‘Love Jihad’ being shown on screen. <\/span>The feature film sought to instill a sense of fear about the Muslim community, and often triggered violent reactions. <\/span>For instance<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>a movie-goer approached by a vox-pop reporter for her review of the film first asks the reporter her name to confirm if she is Hindu and then says, \u2018\u092c\u0939\u0941\u0924 \u0905\u091a\u094d\u091b\u0940 \u0925\u0940 \u0932\u0947\u0915\u093f\u0928 \u0921\u0930 \u0917\u0908 \u0939\u0942\u0901 \u092e\u0948\u0902\u0964 \u0938\u0939\u0940 \u092e\u0947\u0902 \u0926\u0947\u0916\u0928\u093e \u091a\u093e\u0939\u093f\u090f\u0964 \u091c\u0930\u0942\u0930 \u0926\u0947\u0916\u0928\u093e \u091a\u093e\u0939\u093f\u090f\u0964 \u0939\u0930 \u0939\u093f\u0928\u094d\u0926\u0942 \u0915\u094b \u0926\u0947\u0916\u0928\u093e \u091a\u093e\u0939\u093f\u090f\u0964 \u092e\u0941\u0938\u0932\u092e\u093e\u0928\u094b\u0902 \u0915\u094b \u0926\u0947\u0916\u0915\u0930 \u0921\u0930 \u0932\u0917 \u0917\u092f\u093e\u0964\u2019 (Translation: It is very good, but I got scared. It should be watched. It is a must-watch. Every Hindu should watch it. I got scared watching the Muslims).<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

This is why the Prime Minister is promoting this film.<\/p>\n

Anybody supporting this dangerous propaganda in the name of freedom of speech should know it will catalyse the ongoing persecution of Muslims. pic.twitter.com\/pkHTbI8PnJ<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Vipul Kumar (@vipulizm) May 9, 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Full-length media productions of similar sorts can be easily found as distinct pieces of creative content on platforms such as YouTube. These then take lives of their own as bite-sized content shared as WhatsApp statuses or messages, YouTube shorts and Instagram reels.<\/span><\/p>\n

In one such <\/span>YouTube short<\/span><\/a> titled \u2018The Kerala Story: mera abdul aisa nahi hai | Adah Sharma | #thekeralastory\u2019 with 1,67,000 views, parts of ‘The Kerala Story’ trailer have been compiled with clips of interviews of apparent Hindutva activists and victims of \u2018Love Jihad\u2019. The text \u2018<\/span>Muslim boys in india Specifically target school going hindu girls\u2019<\/span><\/i> is imposed at the bottom of the video.<\/span><\/p>\n

In another vox pop video titled \u2018The Kerala story \u0926\u0947\u0916\u0915\u0930 \u0928\u093f\u0915\u0932\u0940 \u0932\u095c\u0915\u093f\u092f\u094b\u0902 \u0928\u0947 \u092c\u0924\u093e\u092f\u093e \u0909\u0928\u0915\u093e \u0905\u092c\u094d\u0926\u0941\u0932 \u0915\u0948\u0938\u093e \u0939\u0948, \u0938\u0941\u0928\u0915\u0930 \u091a\u094c\u0902\u0915 \u091c\u093e\u090f\u0902\u0917\u0947 \u0906\u092a KhabarIndia\u2019, a representative of ‘Khabar India’ <\/span>interviewed<\/span><\/a> women asking them suggestive questions like if they would say \u2018My Abdul is not like that\u2019 even after watching ‘The Kerala Story’. Opinions ranged from \u2018\u0905\u092c\u094d\u0926\u0941\u0932 \u0939\u094b\u0928\u093e \u092d\u0940 \u0928\u0939\u0940\u0902 \u091a\u093e\u0939\u093f\u090f\u2019 (Translation: Abdul shouldn\u2019t exist in the first place) to \u2018\u091d\u093e\u0902\u0938\u0940 \u0915\u0940 \u0930\u093e\u0928\u0940 \u092c\u0928\u0915\u0947 \u0930\u0939\u0928\u093e \u091a\u093e\u0939\u093f\u090f \u0932\u095c\u0915\u093f\u092f\u094b\u0902 \u0915\u094b, \u092c\u0938\u2019 (Translation: Girls have to live as Rani of Jhansi, that\u2019s all).<\/span><\/p>\n

[youtube https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=S1V0tCheyLE]<\/p>\n

There are several such vox pop videos with thousands of views, where the interviewers link ‘The Kerala Story’ with the \u2018Abdul\u2019 narrative. Moviegoers, too, are seen using cuss words and <\/span>spiteful comments<\/span><\/a> like \u2018\u092e\u0947\u0930\u093e \u0905\u092c\u094d\u0926\u0941\u0932 \u0906\u092a\u0915\u093e \u0905\u092c\u094d\u0926\u0941\u0932 \u0938\u092c\u0915\u093e \u0905\u092c\u094d\u0926\u0941\u0932 \u090f\u0915 \u091c\u0948\u0938\u0947 \u0939\u0940 \u0939\u0948\u0902\u0964 \u091c\u093f\u0938 \u0926\u093f\u0928 \u0915\u093e\u091f\u0915\u0947 \u092c\u0902\u0926 \u0939\u094b\u0902\u0917\u0947 \u0928\u093e, \u0924\u092c \u0938\u092e\u091d \u092e\u0947\u0902 \u0906\u090f\u0917\u093e\u0964\u2019 (Translation: My Abdul, your Abdul, everyone\u2019s Abdul are all the same. Will realise this only the day when you get chopped to death.) as Jay Shree Ram slogans are raised in the background.<\/span><\/p>\n

[youtube https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=cHLbFYn1Qmw]<\/p>\n

These videos and interviews are a testament to the steady permeation of this ‘Abdul’ narrative into the more expansive \u2018Love Jihad\u2019 conspiracy theory.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Abdul\u2019 in Music Videos<\/b><\/h4>\n

A music video released by the YouTube channel <\/span>PD Bros Official<\/span><\/a> captioned <\/span>Mera Abdul Aisa Nahi Hain<\/span><\/a> with more than 13,000 views goes with the lyrics <\/span>\u2018\u092a\u0939\u0932\u0947 \u092a\u093e\u092a\u093e \u0915\u0940 \u092a\u0930\u0940 \u0925\u0940… \u0905\u092c \u0905\u092c\u094d\u0926\u0941\u0932 \u0915\u0940 \u091c\u093e\u0928 \u0939\u0942\u0901\u0964\u2018<\/span> (Translation: Back then I was my father\u2019s angel, and now I am Abdul\u2019s life).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

[youtube https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=iOfGU1-oBgk]<\/p>\n

The song begins with showing ‘Abdul’ carrying a suitcase and dropping it off over a bridge. It proceeds to narrate the flashback where a man in a black Kurta-Pyjama, with shaved moustache and trimmed beard and wearing a skull cap \u2014 in other words, the stereotypical Muslim man \u2014 meets his Hindu girlfriend and gifts her a smartphone. The girl\/woman in a supposedly modern outfit and a large red \u2018bindi\u2019 (the only marker of her \u2018Hinduness\u2019) sings in a baby voice \u2018<\/span>\u092e\u0947\u0930\u093e \u0905\u092c\u094d\u0926\u0941\u0932 \u0910\u0938\u093e \u0928\u0939\u0940\u0902 \u0939\u0948\u0902\u0964 \u0935\u094b \u0938\u092c\u0938\u0947 \u0905\u0932\u0917 \u0939\u0948\u0964 \u0915\u092c\u0942\u0932 \u0939\u0948\u0902 \u0915\u092c\u0942\u0932 \u0939\u0948\u0964 \u092e\u0941\u091d\u0947 \u0905\u092c\u094d\u0926\u0941\u0932 \u0915\u092c\u0942\u0932 \u0939\u0948\u0964<\/span>\u2019<\/span> (Translation: My Abdul isn\u2019t like that. He is different from the everyone else. I accept, I accept. I accept Abdul). The intention of the content creators to infantilize the girl\u2019s choice and decision is apparent from their use of a baby voice for this part of the lyrics.<\/span> The tagline of the song reinforces the notion that all Muslim men would act in a certain way \u2014 killing their partners and disposing of them in suitcases or refrigerators.<\/p>\n

The girl\/woman goes on to sing \u2018\u0928\u093e\u092e \u091a\u093e\u0939\u0947 \u0930\u0916 \u0926\u0947 \u0935\u094b \u092e\u0947\u0930\u093e \u0938\u0932\u092e\u093e, \u0935\u0939\u0940 \u092c\u0928\u0947\u0917\u093e \u0905\u092c \u092e\u0947\u0930\u093e \u092c\u0932\u092e\u093e, \u092e\u0947\u0930\u0947 \u0939\u0940 \u0928\u093e\u092e \u0915\u093e \u092a\u095d\u0924\u093e \u0939\u0948\u0902 \u0915\u093c\u0932\u092e\u093e\u0964\u2019 (Translation: Even if he keeps my name as Salma, only he shall be my beloved; he reads the kalma in my name), indicating conversion. As her parents protest against her relationship with ‘Abdul’, she leaves the house with him, and as she goes, the lead singer pops up on the screen to deliver the message central to the video. The singer Prabhat Mishra says \u2018\u092f\u093e \u092f\u0947 \u0905\u092c\u094d\u0926\u0941\u0932 \u0939\u094b \u092f\u093e \u0906\u095e\u0924\u093e\u092c \u0939\u0948, \u0938\u092c \u0928\u0947 \u092a\u095d\u0940 \u090f\u0915 \u0939\u0940 \u0915\u093f\u0924\u093e\u092c \u0939\u0948\u0902\u0964 \u0938\u093e\u0935\u0927\u093e\u0928 \u0939\u093f\u0928\u094d\u0926\u0942 \u0938\u092e\u093e\u091c\u0964\u2019 (Translation: Be it Abdul or Aftab, all of them have read the same book. Beware Hindu Community). <\/span><\/p>\n

Linking the context directly to the Shraddha Walkar case, the message of the music video is loud and clear: That all Muslims would end up killing their non-Muslim partners. The song closes with the message: \u2018\u091c\u092c-\u091c\u092c \u0939\u093f\u0928\u094d\u0926\u0942 \u092c\u0939\u0928 \u0928\u0939\u0940\u0902 \u0930\u0939\u0940 \u092e\u0930\u094d\u092f\u093e\u0926\u093e \u0915\u0940 \u0926\u0939\u0932\u0940\u095b \u092e\u0947\u0902, \u0924\u094b \u0915\u092d\u0940 \u092e\u093f\u0932\u0940 \u0938\u0942\u091f\u094d\u0915\u0948\u0938 \u092e\u0947\u0902, \u0924\u094b \u0915\u092d\u0940 \u092e\u093f\u0932\u0940 \u092b\u094d\u0930\u093f\u091c \u092e\u0947\u0902…\u2019 (Translation: Whenever Hindu sisters went beyond the limits of dignity, they were sometimes found in a suitcase, and sometimes in a fridge).<\/span><\/p>\n

In order to trace the trajectory of the \u2018Abdul\u2019 trope, we analysed a three-part series of music videos on \u2018Love Jihad\u2019 released by Jaya\u2019s Music<\/a> (though it has no direct mentions of \u2018Abdul\u2019).\u00a0<\/span>The first part of the series titled \u2018<\/span>Love Jihad: Koi Yaad Aa Gaya<\/span><\/a>\u2019 (Translation: Remembering Someone), has over 18,000 views on YouTube and depicts a Hindu woman cop shooting a Muslim terrorist who had once pretended to be Hindu and was involved in a romantic relationship with her. She is hailed as a \u2018Hindu Sherni\u2019, (Translation: Hindu Lioness). While she had once written messages of love for her former lover with her own blood, the Muslim man, while dying, writes the word ‘Jihad’ on a wall with his own blood \u2014 conveying to the audience the mindset of the members of either community.<\/span><\/p>\n

[youtube https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=6aMiUxfJipI]<\/p>\n

The second one in the series titled \u2018<\/span>Love Jihad 2: Mizaaj<\/span><\/a>\u2019 (Translation: Mood), has over 45,000 views on YouTube and depicts a triggering and gory representation of a woman at the hospital suffering burns inflicted by her husband’s family. Here, too, the husband was a Muslim who posed as a Hindu to woo her. But unlike the \u2018Sherni\u2019, this woman is na\u00efve, and fell for his trap and married him. <\/span>After burning the woman to death, the man goes on to find his next \u2018prey\u2019.<\/span><\/p>\n

[youtube https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=SG7TEOzMtrM]<\/p>\n

We found content clipped from this video <\/span>tweeted<\/span><\/a> once with the caption <\/span>Mera Abdul Aisa Nahi Hai.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

The third one in the line-up, titled \u2018Aaj Kal Khab<\/a>\u2019 (Translation: Dreams These Days), has over 22,000 views and is sung by one of Hindi music industry\u2019s most popular playback singers, Kumar Sanu. It depicts a romantic relationship between a Hindu man and a Muslim woman. The song begins with the couple being chased by a mob of Muslims, wielding swords, most of them her relatives, and ends with the couple being ruthlessly murdered by the group. The message <\/span>is that the Muslim community does not allow its women to involve in romantic relationships with members of other communities.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The takeaway of the three-part series is pretty much the crux of the current \u2018Love Jihad\u2019 narrative \u2014 that the whole idea of inter-religious love isn\u2019t as innocent as how the ‘liberals’ think of it. It is an organised project and is unidirectional, with Muslim men always targeting non-Muslim women and the reverse never tolerated; Hindu women have to be \u2018Shernis\u2019 to save themselves from it, and if na\u00efve, they would invite grave suffering and death.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Abdul\u2019 in Cartoons<\/b><\/h4>\n

Cartoons and caricatures have forever been an effective format for delivering messages in a short but effective way. This form is also being leveraged extensively to deliver and propagate the \u2018Abdul\u2019 trope across different digital media platforms.<\/span><\/p>\n

For instance, the Twitter and Instagram profile \u099a\u09a3\u09cd\u09a1\u09c0\u09ae\u09a3\u09cd\u09a1\u09aa (Translation: Chondimandop) tweeting at <\/span>@bratati_maity<\/span><\/a> and with an Instagram User ID <\/span>bratati_maity<\/span><\/a>, claiming to be \u2018An unapologetic HINDU Artist\u2019 in their bio, consistently shares caricatured Islamophobic content. One of their <\/span>cartoons<\/span><\/a>, probably their most widely circulated creation across platforms (over 26,000 views on Twitter and over 26,000 likes on Instagram), depicts a bearded man with a skullcap and hiding a knife behind, proposing to a woman and saying, \u2018There is no love jihad. This is all propaganda. I really love you.\u2019 And the girl who is depicted as na\u00efve and blindfolded, unable to see the graves and the corpse of alleged victims of \u2018Love Jihad\u2019 says, \u2018I know Abdul. Tum alag ho (Translation: You are different). I trust you blindly.\u2019 In another <\/span>cartoon<\/span><\/a> shared by the same creator on Instagram, a girl is depicted as hugging a bearded and skull-capped man saying \u2018Mera Abdul alag Hai\u2019 as her parents exclaim \u2018No!\u2019. In the next frame, \u2018Abdul\u2019 is shown as lighting her on fire, saying, \u2018She said No\u2019 while the girl cries, \u2018Oh, No!\u2019.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Who is the next? pic.twitter.com\/34eF6eNeMT<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 \u099a\u09a3\u09cd\u09a1\u09c0\u09ae\u09a3\u09cd\u09a1\u09aa (Chondimandop) (@bratati_maity) June 1, 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

This cartoon<\/span><\/a> captioned \u2018Yes “alag hai”, they kill differently\u2019 shows one woman hugging a man and saying, \u2018Mera Abdul alag Hai\u2019 and another woman walking with her man saying, \u2018Mera Bhi\u2019 (Translation: Mine too). One woman is shown stored in a fridge in pieces, and the other is shown as attacked by the man with a dagger and rock.<\/span><\/p>\n

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A post shared by \u099a\u09a3\u09cd\u09a1\u09c0\u09ae\u09a3\u09cd\u09a1\u09aa (Chondimandop) (@bratati_maity)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The user also caricatures another character, \u2018Suparna\u2019, who is depicted as a typical ‘Hindu Sherni\u2019, who can see through \u2018Abdul\u2019 and his tricks and keeps <\/span>debunking<\/span><\/a> his reasons for putting down Hinduism and demands of her conversion.<\/span><\/p>\n

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pic.twitter.com\/iT9RlCkizn<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 \u099a\u09a3\u09cd\u09a1\u09c0\u09ae\u09a3\u09cd\u09a1\u09aa (Chondimandop) (@bratati_maity) May 28, 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Another caricature<\/span><\/a> by cartoonist Ganesh Bhalerao is widely shared by multiple users on Instagram and Twitter with \u2018Abdul\u2019 references. The cartoon depicts a bearded-skullcapped man holding a bouquet of flowers in one hand and hiding a dagger in the other and a blindfolded girl running towards him, jumping over the tombstones of alleged \u2018Love Jihad\u2019 victims thinking \u2018\u092e\u0947\u0930\u093e \u0935\u093e\u0932\u093e \u0910\u0938\u093e \u0928\u0939\u0940\u0902 \u0939\u0948\u0902!\u2019 (Translation: Mine is not like that), while the signboard reads \u2018\u0932\u0935 \u091c\u093f\u0939\u093e\u0926 \u092a\u093e\u0930\u094d\u0915\u2019 (Translation: Love Jihad Park).<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/span><\/p>\n

Cartoonist Manoj Kureel shared <\/span>a cartoon<\/span><\/a> captioned \u2018\u092a\u0924\u0928 \u0915\u0940 \u0938\u0940\u095d\u093f\u092f\u093e\u0902\u2019 (Translation: Stairs of Downfall) with the hashtag #MeraAbdulAisaNahiHai which depicts a Hindu girl climbing stairs and running towards the stereotyped image of \u2018Abdul\u2019. The staircase is labelled as \u2018Love Jihad\u2019, and each stair is labelled: distance from culture, Bollywood, absence of family values, secularism, distance from religion, ignorance, etc, which are supposedly factors that influence Hindu girls to accept Muslims as partners.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Along with cartoon caricatures, the \u2018Abdul\u2019 trope is circulated widely in the form of memes and such forms of content.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Justification Mechanism Normalizing Vigilantism<\/b><\/h4>\n

As it is apparent from these representations, a sub-narrative is being weaved into the larger narrative of the \u2018Love Jihad\u2019 conspiracy theory. The \u2018Hindu Sherni\u2019, who is rooted in traditions and conforming to family and societal values, understands and thwarts \u2018Abdul\u2019s\u2019 tricks, in contrast to the na\u00efve and infantilized liberal Hindu girl\/woman who falls for \u2018Abdul\u2019s\u2019 trap. This narrative seamlessly plugs and plays in a social setting dominated by notions of misogyny and patriarchy.<\/span><\/p>\n

Such depictions of interfaith relationships involving a Muslim man reinforce the \u2018Love Jihad\u2019 narrative. For instance, this YouTube short <\/span>video<\/span><\/a> by <\/span>Hindutva Status<\/span><\/a>, with over 11,000 views, showing women who agree that \u2018Sare Abdul Ek Jaise Hi Hote Hain\u2019 (Translation: All Abduls are the same) is shared with glorifying background music, effects, and banner and this short <\/span>video<\/span><\/a> by <\/span>Jha shorts<\/span><\/a> with just 196 subscribers, but over 19,000 views fictionally represents a woman lecturing, with utter contempt, to a girl who has faith in her Muslim boyfriend, on the fate that awaits her. Girls\/women who do not conform to the narrative and pursue such relationships or publicly express opinions defending it are conveniently portrayed as corrupt, brainwashed, and requiring help. They are accused of lacking the primary faculty of thinking, and their capability and agency to decide for themselves are consistently questioned and attacked. This is effectively leveraged as a moral justification for calling out their relationships in public, leaking their details (doxxing), threatening their friends and families, and the public calls for action to \u2018save\u2019 them from \u2018Abduls\u2019. All of it contributes as small pieces of the larger narrative, coming together to project ‘a painted devil’ and set the perfect environment for vigilantism, doxxing, suspicion, and hate of the Muslim other.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jaisal E K is an intern with Alt News.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u2018Uska Abdul alag tha\u2019 (Translation: Her Abdul was different), wrote verified Twitter user Arpita Shaiva earlier this month while tweeting an image of a man on a motorcycle apparently carrying a corpse. Albeit short and seemingly benign, the caption had a sinister implication in the larger scheme of the demonisation of Muslims in public discourse. 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