ToI Still stands by its story. Profiling on Eid indeed took place at Ahmedabad Mall.
They will obviously stand by their story. Because, nobody can prove that the Mall owners charged Non-Muslims also for the entry. Just because I was there, and I myself saw many Non-Muslims including me pay up for the coupon, and I also saw a lot of them get it encashed while shopping, I can definitely say, that this was totally irresponsible journalism from ToI.
They go on to say that "Those dressed in traditional Eid attire or exhibiting other obvious symbols of their faith, like skull caps, were being asked to pay the 20-rupee charge, while others were being politely requested to leave the queue and get free passage."
Being there, I saw that ~95% population there was dressed in a traditional Eid attire. So, when every one was asked to pay, it included them also.
But ToI also says "others were being politely requested to leave the queue and get free passage." - which is totally wrong, because I was in a casual T-shirt and jeans and no way could they have mistaken me as a Muslim. Yet I was asked to pay up. And it was not only me. I saw many other Non-Muslims purchasing entry coupons too.
They further say, "Like any exercise in profiling, this could not have been foolproof. It is, therefore, possible that some non-Muslims may also have paid up the entry fee and some Muslims males were spared because, in the eyes of those screening visitors, they didn't appear Muslim."
So According to ToI, Non-Muslims were asked to pay if they looked like Muslims, and Muslims were spared if they did not appear Muslim. This is where they have stooped to the lowest level of Journalism.
Since, ~95% visitors were muslims. Let's say of the remaining 5% Non-Muslims, 1% were let go without purchasing coupons. (Also I believe some people might have not been asked to buy entry coupons if they had movie tickets.) So, instead of interpreting that 1% people were let go by mistake, ToI interprets that 4% Non-Muslims were charged by mistake.
ToI futher adds "Women — burqa-clad or otherwise — were being directed towards the green channel."
Now, if the Mall was really against Muslims, would not they have charged muslim women also ? It is after all easier to recognize burqa-clad women.
So I can definitely say, that ToI unnecessarily made it a Hindu/Muslim Issue.
Also read the tweet by Rajdeep Sardesai - Our reporter Megdhoot Sharon tells us Hindus and Muslims were both charged on Eid at Ahmd mall. Wish natl newspapers would be more careful.
While ToI still stands by its story, I still stand with my belief - ToI is actually Toilet Paper of India.
They will obviously stand by their story. Because, nobody can prove that the Mall owners charged Non-Muslims also for the entry. Just because I was there, and I myself saw many Non-Muslims including me pay up for the coupon, and I also saw a lot of them get it encashed while shopping, I can definitely say, that this was totally irresponsible journalism from ToI.
They go on to say that "Those dressed in traditional Eid attire or exhibiting other obvious symbols of their faith, like skull caps, were being asked to pay the 20-rupee charge, while others were being politely requested to leave the queue and get free passage."
Being there, I saw that ~95% population there was dressed in a traditional Eid attire. So, when every one was asked to pay, it included them also.
But ToI also says "others were being politely requested to leave the queue and get free passage." - which is totally wrong, because I was in a casual T-shirt and jeans and no way could they have mistaken me as a Muslim. Yet I was asked to pay up. And it was not only me. I saw many other Non-Muslims purchasing entry coupons too.
They further say, "Like any exercise in profiling, this could not have been foolproof. It is, therefore, possible that some non-Muslims may also have paid up the entry fee and some Muslims males were spared because, in the eyes of those screening visitors, they didn't appear Muslim."
So According to ToI, Non-Muslims were asked to pay if they looked like Muslims, and Muslims were spared if they did not appear Muslim. This is where they have stooped to the lowest level of Journalism.
Since, ~95% visitors were muslims. Let's say of the remaining 5% Non-Muslims, 1% were let go without purchasing coupons. (Also I believe some people might have not been asked to buy entry coupons if they had movie tickets.) So, instead of interpreting that 1% people were let go by mistake, ToI interprets that 4% Non-Muslims were charged by mistake.
ToI futher adds "Women — burqa-clad or otherwise — were being directed towards the green channel."
Now, if the Mall was really against Muslims, would not they have charged muslim women also ? It is after all easier to recognize burqa-clad women.
So I can definitely say, that ToI unnecessarily made it a Hindu/Muslim Issue.
Also read the tweet by Rajdeep Sardesai - Our reporter Megdhoot Sharon tells us Hindus and Muslims were both charged on Eid at Ahmd mall. Wish natl newspapers would be more careful.
While ToI still stands by its story, I still stand with my belief - ToI is actually Toilet Paper of India.
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