Anurag Kashyap quits Twitter citing threats to family; says new India has chosen thuggery over rational discussion

Citing threats to his family’s safety, noted filmmaker Anurag Kashyap deleted his Twitter account earlier today, 10 August. “When your parents start to get calls and your daughter gets online threats then you know no one wants to talk. There is going to be no reason or rationale. Thugs will rule and thuggery will be the new way of life. Congratulations everyone on this new India and hope you thrive,” Kashyap wrote in what were among his last two tweets on Saturday. Kashyap, who has been vocal in his criticism of the present government’s actions, added: “When I won’t be allowed to speak my mind without fear, I would rather not speak at all”. ABP News tweeted with screenshots of his last tweets:

अनुराग कश्यप ने छोड़ा ट्विटर, कहा- बेटी और पैरेंट्स को मिल रहीं धमकियां https://t.co/J6MmXqFBP5#anuragkashyap pic.twitter.com/X8kuailjnX

— ABP News (@ABPNews) August 10, 2019

This isn’t the first time Kashyap is highlighting threats against his family, for views aired by him on social media. After Prime Minister Narendra Modi was re-elected this May, Kashyap took to Twitter to share some of the abusive comments and rape threats directed at his teenaged daughter online. He stated that many of those who had sent the offensive messages to his daughter were self-professed followers of Modi. Kashyap was among the 49 intellectuals and public personalities who were signatories to a recent petition requesting the Prime Minister to stanch the rising incidents of hate crimes in the country. Since then, the filmmaker said he had received death threats. Nine of the signatories had a criminal case registered against them after sharing the open letter. When Firstpost reached Kashyap for comment, he said, “When threats go beyond the online [world] and reach your family, it’s time to call it off. I wish the best to this country and people, and everyone celebrating this new India. Unko mubarak ho. I will go be an ostrich and bury my head in the sand and do my work.”