Press statement - ‘Sincere apologies for inadvertent Tweet’

August 22, 2014

Press statement

‘Sincere apologies for inadvertent Tweet’

Like human rights groups and individuals across the world, I too am extremely outraged by the atrocities and the barbarism being perpetrated by the ISIS against Iraq’s minorities. In fact just two days ago (August 19), I joined activists, including my husband Javed Anand, at a Press Conference called in Mumbai to release  a statement signed by prominent Indian Muslims denouncing the ISIS .  

The press conference received wide coverage from the print media the next day. A friend contacted me saying he could prepare some visuals depicting the atrocities of the ISIS which I might consider Tweeting. I agreed.

I am traveling and was in a mad rush this morning preparing for a Memorial Lecture I was invited to deliver this afternoon in Kolkata. On receiving the friend's message, I took a quick glance at the illustration depicting the ISIS’ gruesome beheading of the American journalist. Looking at the visual as a whole, I did think the illustration needed reworking as it may be interpreted differently by different people. However, in the mad rush that I was in, I Tweeted the same with my caption, ‘Chilling’.

The moment I realised that the illustration had created a controversy and had hurt many people, I deleted the Tweet and Tweeted an immediate apology for having inadvertently hurt their feelings.

While reiterating my commitment to work for communal harmony, conflict resolution and peace building, I once again offer my sincere apologies for inadvertently hurting religious sentiments.