#MyNameInUrdu movement gaining momentum; love conquers hate

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A campaign to write one’s profile name in Urdu is gaining momentum these days which is the best example of unity against hate. Recently, Prabha Raj a Twitterati belonging South India had written her profile name in Urdu. According to Prabha, she doesn’t know Urdu but she liked the Urdu script so she decided to keep her profile name in Urdu. However, she was trolled by saffron elements for her ‘assumed identity’ as a Muslim.

A large number of Twitter users came forward to defend Prabha and many on Twitter banded together to stand up against hate and bigotry and wrote their names in Urdu.

In her article in the Wire, Prabha writes, “last week, I found the Urdu script beautiful and decided to use it for my Twitter handle name. I don’t know Urdu at all though. Being a politically active person on Twitter, I’ve seen my fair share of trolls, but this week it turned vicious.”

She added, “I was quite appalled at the sexually graphic pictures and the expletives directed towards me – derisively labelling me a Muslim due to my new Twitter name. I realised the hate was not directed towards my tweets, but rather towards my assumed identity as Muslim. After having enough of it, I tweeted out saying that if you have a Muslim handle, you’re likely to attract abusive trolls but that I won’t let hate get the upper hand. I will keep my Twitter name in the Urdu script.”

However, within hours, people started showing solidarity with Prabha against the hate and started changing their Twitter names to the Urdu script as well. Some started using the hashtag #MyNameInUrdu. People also narrated how they face discrimination every day due to their religious identity and how they have accepted is as the new norm.