Filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri wanted to make a list of #UrbanNaxals, here’s how it backfired

Vivek Agnihotri took a jibe at leftist liberals by dubbing them as Urban Naxals. Police raided the homes of at least seven activists on Tuesday in several states as part of a probe into Elgaar Parishad case. Five were arrested for their alleged links with Maoists. Leaders from opposition parties condemned the raids and arrests. On social media, the reactions to the arrest were polarised with some dubbing it a violation of human rights, while others were extremely happy . Filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri, who has time and again courted controversy, waded into the debate by asking people to make a list of those who were defending 'Urban Naxals'. He did not explain why he was making the list. I want some bright young people to make a list of all those who are defending #UrbanNaxals Let’s see where it leads. If you want to volunteer with commitment, pl DM me. @squintneon would you like to take the lead? — Vivek Agnihotri (@vivekagnihotri) August 28, 2018 Many called out Agnihotri and slammed him for his interpretation of who a ‘Naxal’ is. Founder of fake new busting website Alt News, Pratik Sinha, started the trend #MeTooUrbanNaxal. #MeTooUrbanNaxal, what about you? pic.twitter.com/0y8lrz3IUo — Pratik Sinha (@free_thinker) August 29, 2018 Hey @vivekagnihotri, I volunteer to be on your list. Let's tag @vivekagnihotri with the hashtag #MeTooUrbanNaxal and help him build his list. We should all help this man in his noble endeavour. — Pratik Sinha (@free_thinker) August 29, 2018 #MeTooUrbanNaxal became the second top trend on Twitter India trend, and many slammed Agnihotri while tweeting in its support. An #UrbanOpportunist is piggybacking on an #UrbanHashtag to peddle a book. I'd tag him, but he'd enjoy that too much. It's not nationalism, it's bullshit marketing. Let's Move on. — Vir Das (@thevirdas) August 29, 2018 If speaking truth, caring for backward & minority classes in our country is against government feeling then #MeTooUrbanNaxal. — Ehsanul Haque 🇮🇳 احسان الحق (@EhsHaque) August 29, 2018 I am pretty sure if Bhagat Singh was alive today, he would be on that list too.#MeTooUrbanNaxal @vivekagnihotri — Akshay Gupta (@akshay_gupta01) August 29, 2018 I am a Congi, Commie, Sickular, Anti National, Anti Indian, Prestitute, Pidi and now Urban Naxal. #MeTooUrbanNaxal. Ironically, I was none of these when I said anything against the corruption of congress 5 years ago. — S.B.S | சு.ப.சி | Urban Naxal (@yesbeeyes) August 29, 2018 If questioning and criticising the government makes you naxal then #MeTooUrbanNaxal — Shrinivas Karkala (@s_karkala) August 29, 2018 Because petrol is at 85 and yet the excessive tax collection isn't reaching the poor! I will ask more questions and keep protesting. #MeTooUrbanNaxal — Bhookkad Guy (@rogueacademic88) August 29, 2018 If @Sudhabharadwaj and other social activist is a naxal, I am a naxal too. Arrest me. #MetooUrbanNaxal — #SinghIsKing (@mrhindian) August 29, 2018 If raising your voice against injustice and bigotry means you are tagged as #UrbanNaxals then #MeTooUrbanNaxal — sam naveen (@a_samnaveen) August 29, 2018 Dear @vivekagnihotri, I have a t-shirt for you - please send address so that i can send first one for inauguration 🙏🏼 Also please confirm size - XXXS I believe? #MeTooUrbanNaxal pic.twitter.com/AeUjBZwZpA — Akash Banerjee (@akashbanerjee) August 29, 2018 Hey @vivekagnihotri Heard you are making a list. Do you want morning walk details also? #MeTooUrbanNaxal — SamSays (@samjawed65) August 29, 2018 Hey @vivekagnihotri, I volunteer to be on your list. Let's tag @vivekagnihotri with the hashtag #MeTooUrbanNaxal and help him build his list. We should all help this man in his noble endeavour. — Humanist Nishad (@scorpion084) August 29, 2018 I can see it through. Foucault's disciplinary power is at play. They want to discipline us, they are playing a war of minds. Attacking our democratic ethos by making us disciplined. I would rather like to remain undisciplined by taking forward the struggle. #MeTooUrbanNaxal — Ppuja (@Ppuja5) August 29, 2018 Do you have bad habits like "Thinking", "Speaking Truth" or "Analyzing Things Critically"? Congrats! You are an Urban Naxal. Wants to be a regular folk? Suspend all your critical faculties ASAP. #MeTooUrbanNaxal #Demonetisation #NationalSportsDay — Vineet Katiyar (@VineetKatiyar2) August 29, 2018 Hi @vivekagnihotri, Dissent is important for our democracy to function and to hold our Government accountable. I intend to do exactly that. Put me on your list.#metoourbannaxal — Meghnad (@Memeghnad) August 29, 2018 Hey @vivekagnihotri, count me in your #MeTooUrbanNaxal list. Make a film on them, maybe you finally get one hit film in your lifetime. — ashok (@ashokmajumdar) August 29, 2018 If standing up for rights of Indian citizens, defending free speech and media, and criticising the establishment and it's crony capitalists gets me the moniker, then #MeTooUrbanNaxal 😁 — Saikat Datta (@saikatd) August 29, 2018 A year after her death, Gauri Lankesh still on point.#MeTooUrbanNaxal pic.twitter.com/Aq7VvYWnxc — Raghu Karnad (@rkarnad) August 29, 2018 Thanks @free_thinker for the idea. #MeTooUrbanNaxal In solidarity with rights activists who fight so that others may have dignity. We shall overcome. Inshaallah🙏 — Salman Anees Soz (@SalmanSoz) August 29, 2018 All said and done, in the times we live in, what identities we think we have, don’t matter. What defines us are the tags everyone else gives us & mostly our immediate identity is what we are always reduced to. — Ashwaq Masoodi (@ashwaqM) August 29, 2018 I think. I debate. I read. I question. I dissent. I criticise. I emphatise. I protest. I probe. I exist. #MeTooUrbanNaxal— amrita madhukalya (@visually_kei) August 29, 2018 if using reason, intellect, discretion and listening to the voice of conscience, supporting what is right is naxalism then #MeTooUrbanNaxal https://t.co/u1cwDgz4Iy— vinita_nigam (@vinita_nigam) August 29, 2018 Historian Romila Thapar and others on Wednesday moved the Supreme Court against the arrests. The National Human Rights Commission also raised concerns about the case.

Filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri wanted to make a list of #UrbanNaxals, here’s how it backfired

On Wednesday, the filmmaker asked the #UrbanNaxals to openly identify themselves taking a jibe at those left-leaning intellectuals, who are often labelled as urban Naxals and Maoist sympathisers but it backfired when many joined in solidarity with those arrested in Elgaar Parishad case.