Support grows for Pulwama victim's widow who was trolled for anti-war views

The All India Mahila Congress, the women's wing of the Congress, on Thursday denounced the trolling by rightwing social media handles of a woman who lost her husband in the Pulwama suicide bombing.

Mita Santra, whose husband Bablu was among the CRPF personnel killed in the Pulwama attack on February 14, had been attacked for demanding that India and Pakistan pursue negotiations, instead of fighting.

The Twitter handle of the Mahila Congress said, “For Mita Santra, whose husband, Babloo Santra was one of the 40 jawans who died in #PulwamaTerrorAttack, the grief has been followed by abuse. She has been trolled by right winged handles...”

Neeraj Kundan, the recently appointed president of the NSUI, the Congress's students wing, targeted the BJP over the trolling of Mita. Kundan tweeted, “Mita Santra lost her husband in the Pulwama attack and now she is trolled by @BJP4India when she appeals in antipathy of war. Such double standards.”

Human rights activist Kavita Krishnan also declared support for Mita. Krishnan, who is secretary of All India Progressive Women's Association, tweeted her organisation stood with Mita. Krishnan tweeted, “...she's just as courageous as any soldier & it's the armchair warrior trolls who r cowards.”

Despite the criticism, Mita, who is a schoolteacher, has continued to air her anti-war views. She told PTI on Thursday she was not “bothered about social media trolls criticising her stand on war”. Mita had demanded that the Indian government engage with Pakistan to ensure the same return of Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, who was captured after his MiG-21 plane was downed on Wednesday.