Historian Ramachandra Guha receives threatening calls
BANGALURU : Two days after posting a photo of himself eating beef in Goa, Bengaluru-based author and historian Ramachandra Guha tweeted saying he had received threatening calls. Historian and author of acclaimed books Guha said that he is receiving threats after he posted a photo of him in which he is eating beef.
Earlier in the day, he put out two tweets. In one, he said: “I have received threatening calls from a man calling himself Sanjay from Delhi. His number is +91-9X3X1-3X6X8. He threatened my wife as well as me. This is for the record.”Within minutes, he put out a second tweet stating: “This threatening tweet below is from a former official of the Research and Analysis Wing. I would like to place it on record, and will do with every subsequent threat received.”
Writing on Twitter on Sunday, Guha said he and his wife received threatening calls from a man alleged based in Delhi. Guha said the man in question claimed that he is Sanjay, a resident of Delhi.”His number is +91-98351-38678. He threatened my wife as well as me. This is for the record,” Guha said.
In another post, Guha retweeted a post by one RK Yadav and said that he too is threatening him. Guha claimed that Yadav is a former RAW officer. In his tweet, Yadav has called people to give a “befitting reply” to Guha for eating beef and “trying to tease whole of Hindus (sic)”. In his Twitter handle, Yadav identifies himself as a former officer of the RAW (Research and Analysis Wing), India’s external intelligence agency.
Meanwhile, In another tweet, Mr. Guha said: “I have deleted the photo of my lunch in Goa as it was in poor taste. I do wish however to again highlight the absolute hypocrisy of the BJP in the matter of beef, and to reiterate my own belief that humans must have the right to eat, dress, and fall in love as they choose.”
On December 7, Ramachandra Guha tweeted his a photo where he is seen eating beef. According to Guha, the photo was in support of people’s right to eat food of his or her choice. The text accompanying the photo said: “After a magical morning in Old Goa, we had lunch in Panaji, where–since this is a BJP-ruled state–I decided to eat beef in celebration.”
Meanwhile, In another tweet, Mr. Guha said: “I have deleted the photo of my lunch in Goa as it was in poor taste. I do wish however to again highlight the absolute hypocrisy of the BJP in the matter of beef, and to reiterate my own belief that humans must have the right to eat, dress, and fall in love as they choose.”
On December 7, Ramachandra Guha tweeted his a photo where he is seen eating beef. According to Guha, the photo was in support of people’s right to eat food of his or her choice. The text accompanying the photo said: “After a magical morning in Old Goa, we had lunch in Panaji, where–since this is a BJP-ruled state–I decided to eat beef in celebration.”
The photo and the text has drawn much criticism, as well as support, on social media. Guha later decided to delete the post from his Twitter account around 3pm on Sunday. In a fresh tweet Guha said, “I have deleted the photo of my lunch in Go s it was in poor taste. I do wish however to again highlight the absolute hypocrisy of the BJP in the matter of beef, and to reiterate my own belief that humans must have the right to eat, dress and fall in love as they choose”
This is not the first instance when Ramachandra Guha has been criticised by the right wing for his views. Guha has openly opposed the Modi government’s policies in the past and the numerous cases of cow vigilantism in the country–from Mohammad Akhlaq’s lynching in Dadri, the recent Bulanshahr violence, the Alwar lynching or the attacks on rationalists like Narendra Dabholkar, MM Kalburgi, Govind Pansare and Gauri Lankesh in states of Karnataka and Maharashtra.(With Agency Inputs ).
