Sandeep Singh
June 11, 2021 | 2 min. read | Original Reporting

Baaz has learned that CNN-News18 has been hit with a cease and desist legal action by a female survivor for falsely presenting the verbal sexual harassment she experienced at the Tikri Border site as physical molestation, for exposing her identity, and for other grave misrepresentations. 

Sandeep Singh @PunYaab

A legal notice has been sent to CNN NEWS 18 for falsely reporting about incident of molestation at Tikri. Survivor said she was verbally harassed, not raped or molested.

1:10 PM ∙ Jun 11, 2021

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“My Client has suffered mentally and emotionally through your irresponsible and defamatory news report,” reads the notice. 

CNN-News18 ran the story after the right-wing propaganda website, OpIndia, published a piece on June 6 alleging rape at the Tikri Border Farmers’ Protest site. 

News18 @CNNnews18

#Breaking | Exclusive: Fresh row at Farmers protest, Tikri Border 2nd case of molestation comes to light. (Exclusive Input: @manojkumargupta) @AnchorAnandN shares details with @ridhimb

4:25 AM ∙ Jun 9, 2021

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“Less than a month after a woman from West Bengal was allegedly raped by two farmer protestors at the Tikri Border, another case of molestation and rape has been reported from Farmer protest site at the Tikri Border,” it reported.

The entire story is based on Shivani Dhillon’s tweet on June 4.

“A Punjabi nursing assistant molested and raped by criminal elements in disguise of farmers,” Dhillon claims, sharing a seven-slide story by the survivor, which does not actually allege rape. Instead, the survivor described her experience with verbal harassment and emotional abuse and how some organizers did not take her concerns seriously at the site. 

Shivani dhillon @shivani_sikh

Shocking news!!! Molestation and rape incident reported from Tikri Border. Punjabi nursing assistant molested and raped by criminal elements in disguise as farmers. Why no one is reporting and taking note. A detailed story on the molestation & rape in this thread. Must read.

2:06 PM ∙ Jun 4, 2021

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Dhillon’s handle, which is common amongst right-wing Indian Twitter, uses a Sikh name and a photo from the internet as a profile picture. In the bio, Dhillon claims to be “Sikh, Indian..Nation first-Always” - vocabulary which is commonly used by BJP supporters in their bios. Most of Shivani’s tweets are against the Farmers’ Protest. She also held farmers responsible for COVID.

The Frustrated Indian, another right-wing news portal, also echoed OpIndia’s misinformation and falsely shared that the survivor was raped and molested at Tikri Border. 

tfipost.com @tfipost

News of a possibly second rape incident in site of farmers’ protest should be enough for the govt to clear the area out Lewd comments were passed on the woman by a volunteer who linked/insinuated her with another volunteer in a romantic/sexual relation

tfipost.comNews of a possibly second rape incident in site of farmers’ protest should be enough for the govt to clear the area outLewd comments were passed on the woman by a volunteer who linked/insinuated her with another volunteer in a romantic/sexual relation.

2:28 PM ∙ Jun 5, 2021

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Sandeep Singh hails from Machhiwara, Punjab. As an independent journalist, he has worked with many prominent Indian news organizations. Sandeep has been following the farmer’s protest in Punjab since its onset and traveled with them to Delhi. He spends most of his time at the Singhu border protest site. You can follow Sandeep on Twitter @Punyaab

Baaz is home to opinions, ideas, and original reporting for the Sikh and Punjabi diaspora. Support us by subscribing. Find us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook at @BaazNewsOrg.  If you would like to submit a written piece for consideration please email us at editor@baaznews.org.