Indian influencer faces backlash for 'avoid India' post amid Kolkata rape-murder outrage; defends views later

Indian travel blogger and influencer Tanya Khanijow has been currently under fire for her post on women's safety in India, in the backdrop of the Kolkata rape case. The gruesome details of the RG Kar Hospital rape case in Kolkata have sent shock waves across the country. The debate on women's safety in India has again taken centre stage, as it should be!

In a series of social media posts from netizens, celebrities and politicians on the horrific Kolkata rape case, Tanya also made a post from her official X account. In the post, Tanya asked her female foreign friends not to visit India as the country has a pathetic “safety standard for women.”

Also Read |Kolkata doctor rape-murder case: Family reveals chilling details of August 9 tragedy

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“Safety standards for women in India are horrible. My sincere request to all my women friends abroad. Please don’t travel here unless our dear leadership seriously creates a safer environment for women. Please avoid coming to India at all costs!” she wrote in her X post.

The post did not sit well with netizens whowere mostly men and they started calling out Tanya for her views, some even said she should be “ashamed”of calling herself an Indian.

The travel blogger responded to most comments with a counterview, saying that unless we do talk about it, the issue of women's safety in India will never get the attention that it deserves.

Some even say that one incident doesn’t make India unsafe for women, to which Tanya replied, “It is not just one incident.”

“Speak to any woman and I bet, there’s not one woman who hasn’t experienced some form of assault or another. Myself included. NOT A SINGLE woman who hasn’t experienced some form of assault. Safety standards are very poor and it’s an India problem,” Tanya respondedto a comment on her post.

Also Read |Indian doctors end strike over Kolkata medic's sexual assault and murder

One furious X user wrote to Tanya, “Ok ! Dont Come !! Where is Women Safety in Whole World?”

“I’ve travelled to at least 33 countries including some African and it’s safer than India. Unless you’ve experienced abysmal safety yourself, I bet you won’t understand,” Tanya replied to the user and reiterated again and again that women's safety in India should be talked about more.

In the recent Kolkata rape case, the body of a woman doctor was found in a seminar hall at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on Friday (Aug 9) morning. The incident sparked outrage across the country, with several medic unions declaring strikes.

(With inputs from agencies)