Faced with proofs that indicated that a founding editor of Alt News Science, Dr Sumaiya Shaikh, received foreign funding, radical Islamist and alleged fact-checker Mohammed Zubair of Islamo-Leftist propaganda outlet Alt News, hurled casteist abuses at his critics.
Replying to a handle that shared tax filing screenshots of the foundation that gave grants to Shaikh, Zubair wrote, “Abey Saste Desi Bhand, thoda aur research karle. They were contributor not Alt News employees.” meaning “Hey, cheap local Bhand, do some more research. They were contributors, not Alt News employees”
Now, Bhand refers to a community that is known also as “Bahand” and actually refers to a traditional folk entertainment community. In this context, Zubair has used the word Bhand as a slur and it is against the Scheduled Caste group of street performers, who are officially listed as SCs in Rajasthan.
Most often in “common” parlance, phrases like “bandh hokar naachna” are casually used to describe dancing while drunk. But it is in reality a slur.
The word “Bhand” has multiple meanings in South Asia, referring to traditional folk entertainers, particularly a community of hereditary performers like singers, dancers, and jesters, or an individual who is a jester or buffoon. The term also exists as a community name for various endogamous groups across India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Nepal, though many have left their traditional occupations due to social marginalization and a decline in folk arts. As an occupational, lower-caste group, the decline of traditional folk arts has pushed many Bhands to other trades or into poverty, with some becoming rickshaw pullers or beggars.
And this warrants an SC/ST Atrocity case on Zubair for using such slurs.
Everything aside ‘Bhand’ is a castiest slur used derogatorily for the lower caste performers who used to dance, perform, act in courtship of Kingdoms.
Why he should not be booked under ST/SC act???@pib_MoSJE @MSJEGOI https://t.co/SurvncUvRC
— Hindutva Knight (@HPhobiaWatch) October 5, 2025
The same Zubair did not find it wrong to use a casteist slur on a netizen. Here is a look at a few of his casteist posts.
He even called BJP leader Shehzad Poonawalla by his caste name.
He deleted an old inflammatory post which resurfaced earlier in June 2025 and gained traction on X. In response to the controversy, he claimed it was being misinterpreted and deleted it. The tweet in question, originally posted in May 2018, featured a cartoon showing BJP leader Amit Shah portrayed as Chanakya, with his traditional Brahmin shikha (choti) being cut by a hand labeled ‘DKS’ holding scissors. Many online perceived the image as derogatory towards the Brahmin community. The post reignited criticism of Zubair, who has frequently targeted what he sees as communal sensitivities in Hindu beliefs while often downplaying similar concerns related to Islamic figures like Prophet Muhammad or historical figures such as Aurangzeb.
Subscribe to our channels on Telegram, WhatsApp, and Instagram and get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.
