(MENAFN- AsiaNet News) The disturbing incident on a junior female doctor's alleged rape and murder inside a government hospital in Kolkata has sent shockwaves across India. The heinous crime has sparked nationwide protests and a surge of voices demanding justice for the victim. Amid the widespread outrage, a video by a social media content creator has sparked further controversy, leading to widespread condemnation online.
The video in question features a digital content creator named Sarah Saroshh, who shared a makeup tutorial on her Instagram account while discussing the tragic case of the doctor. The juxtaposition of a beauty routine with the harrowing details of the crime has ignited fury among netizens, many of whom have labeled the video as insensitive and tone-deaf.
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The video, initially shared on Wednesday, shows Sarah dressed in a white gown, posing and applying makeup in front of the camera. However, it is the audio overlay that has drawn severe criticism. The voiceover begins with a narrative that appears to recount the tragic story of a young female doctor, though it is later revealed that the victim is not a personal acquaintance of Sarah.
The audio starts with: "Get ready with me as I speak to you all about a friend of mine who went to college, completed her MBBS, and is, actually 'was' doing her Masters." As Sarah continues her makeup routine, the voiceover goes on to describe the horrifying events that led to the doctor's brutal death.
"One evening, when she was just completing her studies and postings and was sleeping, she was raped and killed. On duty. Within the hospital premises. What do I tell her parents? How do they see her body? How do they face society?" the audio narrates, all while the video shows Sarah applying different makeup products.
The audio then continues to address societal attitudes towards rape victims, lamenting how blame is often shifted onto the victim rather than focusing on the perpetrator. The voiceover concludes with a poignant statement: "No, she's not really my friend but she might as well have been. Because, irrespective, we still don't have answers for her parents. And the principal of the hospital that she was studying at also doesn't have answers for her parents. They just lost their daughter who was brutally killed and we all have no answer."
Public outcry and apology
The video quickly went viral, drawing the ire of social media users who found the combination of a makeup tutorial with the narration of such a grave issue to be highly inappropriate. Many criticized Sarah for attempting to use the tragedy as a backdrop for self-promotion, calling her actions insensitive and exploitative.
As the backlash intensified, Sarah deleted the original video and issued a public apology. In her apology note, she claimed that the video had been filmed two months prior and that the voiceover was added later in an attempt to address current issues surrounding rape and murder. She acknowledged that the tone and content of the video were mismatched and expressed regret for not realizing how tone-deaf the video would appear.
"I saw it as a way to make more people TALK about the important matters," she wrote in her apology, emphasizing that her intentions were not to trivialize the crime but to raise awareness.
Despite the apology, screen recordings and downloaded versions of the video continue to circulate on various social media platforms, further fueling the outrage. Many users have called for more accountability from influencers who wield significant platforms and influence.
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"It's absolutely disgusting and beyond reprehensible for anyone to mock a rape case for the sake of gaining attention on social media. People like this are a disgrace and should be called out and condemned in the strongest terms. They contribute nothing to society and only make the world a worse place. We need more and more mental institutions for such c****** social media influenza," wrote one enraged user on X.
Another irked netizen noted, "How are they even influencers? What are they influencing and to whom? This term is being abused now. Every neighbourhood has an influencer. Bloody view hungry people they are. Jump into anything trending garner views and then apologise that they didn't think it will feel wrong."
"This proves woman is the worst enemy for a woman," remarked a third user.
Here's a look at how netizens reacted to Sarah's video:
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