Recently, actors like Alia Bhatt, Varun Dhawan and Neil Nitin Mukesh put up pictures of themselves on Instagram and Twitter with this cryptic message: #bewithbeti. Alia Bhatt also added #change. A little googling reveals that this is in support of a campaign that is working to raise awareness about and end crimes against women, specifically acid attacks and female foeticide. If they’re trying to raise awareness, why are the stars so stingy with details? They don’t even share a link to the NGO that’s running this campaign or tell you to watch this space for upcoming enlightenment. But they want you to be aware. You know, about women and stuff.
Here’s what we found about the hashtag, no thanks to the stars. #BeWithBeti is a social media campaign run by an NGO called Beti, the brainchild of Anu Ranjan, the editor of GR8 TV magazine. Beti has in the past worked to raise funds for the reconstruction surgeries required by acid attack survivor, Sonali Mukherjee. They reportedly raised Rs 30 lakhs in association with Headlines Today. They organise fund-raising fashion shows and cricket matches, roping in actors from film and TV to participate.
Not really sure where they’re going with this hashtag, but I hope they have a plan because things are getting confusing on Twitter. Here’s what peeps on the tweets think this campaign is about:
Save the girl child
Education for the girl
Support women
Stand up against atrocities on women
Bigg Boss 8 winner Gautam Gulati is such a bae
Spread the word
But what is the word? Who knows. Just revel in all the awareness.
