People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, famously known as PETA, is a non-profit organization and claims 6.5 million supporters all over the world. Now PETA India has received the reputation of being a hypocrite of the highest order, in the recent past. The problem of selective criticism has also been in their agenda and this relates to their target on Hindu traditions and customs with a religious zeal, while giving other religions a free pass, leaving the targeted minds on a question whether they are on bizarre plan when it comes to questioning everyone or just another publicity stunt. Let us also be aware that there were few occasions PETA India did manage to raise their voice and they eventually quickly silenced themselves due to rousing opposition.
It appears now that PETA India has found another target. Surprisingly, it is columnist Shefali Vaidya. The NGO in cohorts with Congress and left-liberal trolls has embarked upon a concerted campaign against the columnist for calling out the hypocrisy of the supposed animal rights organisation with regards to Eid where animals are slaughtered and anti-cow leather campaign during the celebration times of Rakshabandhan. However, the campaign against Shefali Vaidya has backfired on them terribly, as netizens used the opportunity to expose their hypocrisy. It soon became evident that PETA India is more concerned about the criticism it faces on social media than actual physical attacks on its workers by Islamist mobs.
A social media user pointed out the time when PETA activists were assaulted by a Muslim mob in Bhopal in 2014, for campaigning for vegetarianism ahead of Bakr-Eid. The Police even registered a case under section 295A against three activists for allegedly outraging the religious sentiments of the Muslim community. For some reason, PETA India has been horribly quiet about this incident.
There were a few interesting quotations and tweets that the Bollywood celebrities had a contrary view of their endorsements and voices for the Animals. Ace Actor Sonam Kapoor was awarded the title of PETA India’s ‘hottest vegetarian celebrity’, the daughter of Bollywood star and Slum Dog Millionaire fame Anil Kapoor, had taken to consuming chicken and fish. Netizens also pointed out that less than a week after PETA India gifted Shilpa Shetty Kundra the ‘Hero to Animals’ award, the Bollywood actress could be seen on YouTube preparing a Roast Turkey recipe. Then there was the case of Richa Chadha who PETA India heaped praises on for being ‘kind to animals’ but the actress was one of those individuals who was resolutely against the ‘beef ban’. The most dishonest sign of hypocrisy came from PETA India’s endorsement of Sonam Kapoor. While the Bollywood actress was awarded by the supposed animal rights organisation, she endorses products made of 100% animal skin.
Similarly, PETA conferred a ‘Hero to Animals’ award on actress Dia Mirza, who had earlier shared ‘Kachi Yakhni Ki Biryani’ recipe. The biryani is made with mutton.
Thus, while PETA India has initiated a mala fide campaign against columnist Shefali Vaidya, they are quite overeager to overlook the transgressions of the people they have awarded themselves. Quite clearly, for PETA India, actions do not matter, only words do. And as long as individuals pay obeisance to their ideology, they do not require them to follow it up with their actions.
Slowly the voices of Netizens are being loud and clear to PETA India and the hope of hearing them in a complete format is the anticipation seriatim in recent times.