A Peek Into Online Right-Wing Hate Groups 'Trads' and 'Raitas'

"Trads" - that's a word that we've been hearing quite often in connection to the Sulli Deal and the Bulli Bai investigations.

And this word officially came to light when the Delhi Police arrested two accused in the bulli bai case- Aumkareshwar Thakur and Niraj Bishnoi, who claimed that they both are part of the online group ”trad”.

Now, The Hindu right-wing groups in India have so far been seen as a single entity, with a common ideology of propagating larger Hindutva values. However, the recent bull bai app controversy, where photos of over 100 Muslim women activists, journalists were put on an app in a mock “auction”, has shed light over a byproduct of this radical ecosystem which are known by the terms “trad” and “raitas”

In this episode, we will try to unpack what exactly are these groups? What ideology do they follow? How do you recognise one in the wild, and how do they fit into the entire propaganda ecosystem?

To decode these questions, we spoke with journalist Alishan Jafri, who works with The Wire’s Hate Watch team and has been following these groups closely online.

Guest: Alishan Jafri, journalist with The Wire’s Hate Watch team.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram

Editor: Shorbori Purkayastha

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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