Bulli Bai: App Offers Muslim Women for Auction Again, Complaints Filed

New Delhi: A dubious app that has listed hundreds of Muslim women for “auction” – sourcing their pictures without permission – has triggered a major controversy. A female journalist on Saturday filed a complaint with the Delhi Police against unknown persons for allegedly uploading her doctored picture on a website "with the intent of embarrassing and insulting Muslim women". 

Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi said that a probe has been launched in Mumbai as well. The Mumbai cyber police have begun an investigation into the objectionable content on the app 'Bulli Bai', an official told news agency PTI.

This is second time that such an attempt has been made to “auction” and harass Muslim women. Last year, in what was called “Sulli Deals”, Muslim women’s pictures – again obtained without permission – were displayed, calling the women “deals of the day”.

The female journalist shared a copy of her complaint, submitted online at south Delhi's CR Park police station, on her Twitter handle. 

The woman, who works with an online news portal, sought immediate registration of an FIR and investigation against the unknown set of people who are "seeking to harass and insult Muslim women" on social media and the internet. 

"I was shocked to find out this morning that a website/portal called “bullibai.github.io” (since deleted) had a doctored picture of me in an improper, unacceptable and clearly lewd context. This needs immediate action, as the same is clearly designed to harass me and other similarly situated independent women and journalists," the complaint stated. 

"I enclose snapshots of the said tweet directed at me herein as well as of other tweets. The term ‘Bulli bai’ itself seems disrespectful and the content of this website/portal (bullibai.github.io) is clearly aimed at insulting Muslim women as the derogatory term ‘Bulli’ is used exclusively for Muslim women and the entire website seems to have been designed with the intent of embarrassing and insulting Muslim women," she said. 

The Delhi Police has responded on Twitter and said that the matter has been taken cognisance of. 

“Concerned officials have been directed to take appropriate action,” the police said in the tweet. 

The women who have been targeted this time include a number of women journalists, a radio jockey, and even an elderly woman (mother of a JNU student), according to social media users.

Earlier in July, a case was registered by the Cyber Cell of the Delhi Police after it received a complaint about an unidentified group uploading photos of Muslim women on an app. 

Delhi Police PRO, Chinmoy Biswal, had said, "Acting on a complaint received on the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal regarding 'Sulli Deals' mobile application, a case under section 354-A of the Indian Penal Code has been registered on Wednesday and investigation taken up.”

The app appeared to have been taken down after being posted on the Microsoft-owned software sharing platform GitHub which allows anyone to upload an in-development app, reported NDTV.

The incident led to an outrage on social media with many blaming the Delhi Police for their inaction following  the complaint filed over 'Sulli Deals'.

A woman, who claimed to have been targeted by both Sulli Deals and Bulli Bai, wrote on Twitter: "Hi @DelhiPolice. This lot already harassed me by hosting an auction of me and making disgusting lewd comments on me. I had filed an FIR in May with you, but you’ve done absolutely nothing. Now they’re back with this. Good job protecting women. Will you do anything now at least?

AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi tweeted, "Disgusting. Inaction by authorities has made these criminals brazen," as he asked the Delhi Police to investigate and take "strict action".

CPIML Polituburo member Kavita Krishnan expressed solidarity with those who have been targeted and wrote on Twitter: "... [M]uslim women being subjected to vile online “auctions” by rape-minded Sanghi filth. Deliberate police inaction on #sullideals has emboldened the terrorists to resurface as #bullibai."

“To "sell" someone online is a cybercrime & I call on the police to take immediate action. The perpetrators deserve exemplary and condign punishment,” Congress leader Shashi Tharoor wrote on Twitter.

Shiv Sena MP Chaturvedi said that she has repeatedly asked IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to take "stern action against such rampant misogyny and communal targeting of women through #sullideals like platforms". "A shame that it continues to be ignored," she added.

IT Minister, giving a skimpy reply to Chaturvedi, tweeted on Saturday: "GitHub confirmed blocking the user this morning itself. CERT and Police authorities are coordinating further action."