Police pressure and threats force Modi critic's family to flee
Ruchika's mother claims police questioning and online threats forced them to leave their home.
Ruchika Singh's mother, caught in the controversy over her 15-year-old daughter allegedly using abusive language against PM Modi, stated that due to continuous questioning and pressure from the police and media, they had to leave their rented home in Noida.
Speaking to the English newspaper The Telegraph, Ruchika's mother said,
"Despite my daughter's public apology, we were scared seeing police officers, TV reporters, and strangers coming to our home every day. Out of fear, we had to leave our rented house." She added, "Even though Modi ji said he forgave my daughter, the police kept coming to our house. We have now taken refuge at a relative's place." She lived with her daughter, a Class 10 student, in a rented house in Noida.
Ruchika's mother and relatives allege that the right-wing ecosystem is harassing her. "My daughter Ruchika is receiving online threats of murder and rape, even though she publicly apologized in a video and Modi also conveyed forgiveness."
Noida Police registered a zero FIR against the girl on 23rd July for allegedly using abusive language against PM Modi during a protest at Jantar Mantar. The case was transferred to the Parliament Street Police Station. Delhi Police has not officially stated when the FIR will be withdrawn.
Days after a 15-year-old girl posted an emotional video apologizing for using abusive language against Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a protest at Jantar Mantar, two of her pictures started circulating on X. One picture was taken from her apology video, and the other showed her using abusive language in front of the camera. Using "AI," her facial features were analyzed to estimate her age, claiming it was a 25-year-old girl using her younger sister to gain "sympathy." Every part of her face was analyzed, with zoomed-in images of her eyes, ears, teeth, and nasal bridge. However, she has no sister, neither older nor younger. She only has a younger brother, who is 12 years old.
According to a report by The Print, Ruchika's mother said over the phone,
Harassed by constant online threats of rape, murder, and acid attack, 15-year-old Ruchika, her widowed mother, and younger brother left their Greater Noida home in the dead of night wearing slippers. They didn't tell anyone where they were going. She was eagerly waiting for her birthday and was supposed to take her Class 10 board exams this year. In the past 10 days, she hasn't opened a book or gone to school. The online and offline right-wing crowd has driven us out of our home. She has apologized to the nation, what more is left? This is a child who made a mistake, are we going to ruin her entire future? In the past 5-10 days, we have seen very tough times. Everyone is coming to me and questioning me as a mother about how I raised her. Did I teach her to use abusive language?"
It is noteworthy that last Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a late-night video message on Instagram that "some mischievous youths" at Jantar Mantar used very bad language, some of which were directed at him and his late mother.
PM Modi said that seeing "daughters" use such language was a "cultural shock." He wants to forgive these children because "punishing them, dragging them into court proceedings, or harassing them in society will not change the situation."
Ruchika's mother mentioned that her daughter's birthday was on 1st August. Before the online threats and harassment began, she was very excited to celebrate it with her friends and family. On 23rd July, she told me she was going to Connaught Place for her birthday shopping. She went with her friends. When she reached near the protest site, she saw people her age, so she joined the protest..." the mother said, adding that her daughter gave a video byte in which she used "abusive language."