Politically motivated vicious trolling drives Andhra woman, who praised Jagan, to suicide

A video of one of her daughters performing Geethanjali’s final rites went viral on social media. The YSRCP has now launched a hashtag campaign, #JusticeForGeethanjali.

Also Read: The Road — That’s the Dream for the Tribals in Andhra Pradesh

The statement

“My name is Geethanjali,” she beamed at the camera on 4 March. “My dream has come true today as the house site is now in my name. I am very happy as I did not expect to receive it at this stage,” the woman shared her happiness.

The young mother further added she would make Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy win. “He has fulfilled our dreams. I haven’t paid any money for the plot. Instead, I received benefits such as Amma Vodi, a pension for my father-in-law, financial assistance through ‘YSR Cheyutha’ for my mother-in-law, and now, my dream house,” she was lively on camera.

“If my two daughters were here, they would have shouted ‘Jai Jagan,’ and it would resound here,” Geethanjali did not hide her happiness.

Owning a house meant saving more money for Geethanjali. “We are paying ₹7,500 as rent and for other expenses, leaving us with only ₹10,000 in earnings each month,” she said.

The woman said the Amma Vodi scheme helped her in opening fixed deposits, “as I have been benefiting from it for the past five years”.

She then pledged allegiance to the YSRCP.

The YSRCP seized the opportunity and made her its Star Campaigner of the Day.

''Star Campaigner Of The Day''💫

మా సొంతింటి క‌ల సాకారం చేసిన సీఎం @ysjagan గారినే మ‌ళ్లీ గెలిపిస్తాం. #YSRCPStarCampaigner#YSJaganAgain#AndhraPradesh pic.twitter.com/MmztOBvnrP

— YSR Congress Party (@YSRCParty) March 6, 2024

Also Read: Why TDP bent backwards to give BJP 25% of Andhra LS seats

Insulted and alienated

The troll armies, however, noted two things in the video: A smartwatch on Geethanjali’s wrist, and the “past five years”  of Amma Vodi in her statement.

The second one was an apparent slip of the tongue. The Amma Vodi scheme, aimed at encouraging parents to send their children to school by depositing ₹13,000 in the mother’s account, was launched four years ago — not five as Geethanjali mentioned.

The troll factories reportedly went on an overdrive, singling out the woman. The below-the-belt comments even termed her a “pimp” for YSRCP leaders, and a member of the Paytm batch, indicating that she was paid to praise the ruling dispensation.

The effects of disparaging comments reportedly affected Geethanjali’s personal life.  The anti-Geethanjali video, which gained much traction on social media, left her family in discomfort. A local reporter said her husband’s friends poked fun at him, infuriating him.

Apparently traumatised by the events,  Geethanjali went to the Tenali Railway Station on 7 March, and jumped in front of the incoming Janmabhoomi Express.

Speaking to TV9 later, Geethanjali’s husband Bala Chandra said she stayed awake late into the night after the video had gone viral. He, too, received a lot of messages trolling her.

He claimed that he took it as a small issue initially, and could not realise the trauma his wife was undergoing.

Investigating officer Sub-Inspector Lode Saraswathi told South First that loco pilot applied brakes but the train stopped only after seriously injuring and knocking her out. She died four days later.

Officer Saraswathi said Geethanjali’s family was not affiliated to any political party, and she took the extreme step due to social media trolling. She added that a case has been registered under CrPC Section 174 (Unnatural death).

The TDP posted screenshots of two of its activists, Swathi Reddy and Ajay Chowdhary, trolling Geetanjali. They claimed that the online posts against Geetanjali’s “fake” claims were made only after 8 March, four days after the woman had taken the drastic step.

The Opposition party questioned the logic behind liking her death to social media abuse. It questioned how she could try to commit suicide before the posts were made.

గీతాంజలి గారికి రైలు యాక్సిడెంట్ జరిగింది 7వ తేదీ ఉదయం 11 గంటలకు..

5 ఏళ్ళు అమ్మఒడి, ఇల్లు కట్టించి ఇచ్చేసారు అంటూ ఆమె అబద్ధం చెప్తుందని, అది వైసీపీ చేయిస్తున్న ఫేక్ ప్రచారం అని, సోషల్ మీడియాలో పోస్టులు మొదలయ్యింది, 8వ తేదీ నుంచి.
ఇంత చిన్న లాజిక్ ఎలా మిస్ అయ్యారు ?… pic.twitter.com/OZ1akf1q09

— Telugu Desam Party (@JaiTDP) March 12, 2024

The young mother’s death once again reflected the normalisation of political trolls targeting individuals. A few years ago, a dozen girls of Bendapudi High School in the East Godavari district were trolled for speaking English in an American accent.

After the news about Geethanjali’s death broke, most trolls disappeared from social media.

On Tuesday, 12 March, Jagan ordered officials to provide ₹20 lakh to Geethanjali’s children from the Chief Minister Relief Fund.

YCP govt has already failed in taking action on the trollers. I wish at least now the @YSRCParty govt take strict action on this and set an example for the trollers across the platforms.

We can’t afford one more life🙏#JusticeForGeethanjali
pic.twitter.com/wS7sPlAsG8

— Harvey Specter (@godeater091) March 11, 2024

Edited by Majnu Babu.