The Hindu newspaper today published a disturbing cartoon, showing the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) dressed in Muslim attire and terrorising the world.
Today's cartoon by Deepak Harichandran
For more cartoons, visit: https://t.co/HWZnhh396dhttps://t.co/tY6iIWyoVN— The Hindu Comment (@TheHinduComment) March 26, 2020
The cartoon by Deepak Harichandran, the paper’s National Design Editor shows the virus dressed in a Pathani suit, worn by Muslims in the Indian subcontinent, and pointing an AK 47 assault rifle at the earth.
The newspaper was called out for equating the deadly virus with caricatures of Muslims and normalising anti-Muslim hatred.
This is extremely distasteful @the_hindu You owe everyone an apology. Fallen for the “recognise them by their clothes”? @nramind @nistula pic.twitter.com/XNFxkZAxvL
— Murali Neelakantan (@grumpeoldman) March 26, 2020
So Coronavirus kills people wearing a Pathani suit. Even though the virus originated in a non-Muslim country. But because it is ‘terrorising’ the world, it must be caricatured wearing an attire traditionally worn by Af-Pak Muslims. Shame on @the_hindu for promoting Islamophobia https://t.co/ZxC6yl5kHm
— Irena Akbar (@irenaakbar) March 26, 2020
"The Hindu" news paper displays a cartoon of Corona virus with Muslim attire. What does this indicate. Are not these blood thirsty mainstreams done with Muslim hatredness?
Condemn #Islamophobia pic.twitter.com/pci9ELTMlV— Ladeeda Farzana (@ladeedafarzana) March 26, 2020
The aesthetic fetishes of the Indian majority conscious is satisfied only when Muslims are portrayed as the bad and evil.
/Cartoon from The Hindu/ pic.twitter.com/t2yhlyRS5r— Afreen Fatima (@AfreenFatima136) March 26, 2020
Saw this on my TL- the editorial cartoon of @the_hindu
The Corona catastrophe is depicted as Muslim men in Pathani suits pointing their assault rifles to the earth.
What an utterly shameless, bigoted publication colouring a pandemic with filthy propaganda!
cc: @MaliniP pic.twitter.com/ciy03wGUlu
— Sidrah (@SidrahDP) March 26, 2020
When it comes to Islamophobia no Indian media is free from it.
This cartoon is from @the_hindu .
Shame on you Islamophobic bigots. pic.twitter.com/OkTfgWVFoB— IRFAN (@ImIrfan2947) March 26, 2020
This cartoon published by @the_hindu is nothing short of a hate crime. The virus is dressed in a Muslim attire. This is highly islamophobic. This issue is already furthering xenophobia, do not use it to further religious intolerance.
Apologize now! pic.twitter.com/7Sb1boT4eP— Arya (@RantingDosa) March 26, 2020
See How mainstream media normalizes #Islamophobia.Today @the_hindu displays a cartoon of #coronavirus with Muslim attire. What does this Indicate?Shame on @Thehindu. We demand an apology!
Condemn #Islamophobia @asadowaisi @manojkjhadu @TheWaliRahmani @ZahidParwaz @Maliksohail_jk pic.twitter.com/MrNFdGB84j— Attaullah Niazi (@A_Niazi93) March 26, 2020
This is a gross misrepresentation of Islam, it's culture, tradition and the oeuvre. The cartoon by @the_hindu is full of undertones and Islamophobic connotations. https://t.co/hl6u3bbH4r pic.twitter.com/crX3G6N8o6
— Ushaym Tariq (@UshaymTariq) March 26, 2020
After it was severely reprimanded for its shockingly xenophobic editorial judgement, the newspaper replaced the Pathani suit with a stick figure and expressed regret “for the hurt or unhappiness caused”. However, the paper did not issue an apology.
The changed cartoon.
“Some readers have objected to the cartoon published on March 26, 2020 as Islamophobic. Any link to Muslims in the attire of the virus was completely unintentional. The point of the cartoon was to show the world being taken hostage by the virus. However, we agree that the virus should have been shown as just a blob or a stick figure and we express our regret for the hurt or unhappiness caused. Accordingly, we are taking down this cartoon online and replacing it with one that has a neutral representation of the attire,” the editorial said.
One social media commented saying, although the paper replaced the cartoon, its latent Islamophobia stood exposed.
After outcry over an Islamophobic cartoon published by @the_hindu today, the paper has removed the Pathani suit (worn by Afghan/Pak Muslims) which the ‘terrorist’ Coronavirus was shown to be wearing. Appreciate the corrective action. But the latent Islamophobia stands exposed. pic.twitter.com/TOqNc6GXOb
— Irena Akbar (@irenaakbar) March 26, 2020
