Timeline Journalist, Influencer Wafa Hussain Attacked for “Kerala, Saar… 100% Literacy Saar” Video
Kerala-based journalist and influencer Wafa Hussain has been subjected to intense trolling and online abuse following her response to a viral comment from India’s Got Latent. The backlash, which includes racial and Islamophobic attacks, has sparked a wider conversation on stereotypes and freedom of expression.
The controversy began when comedian Jaspreet Singh, a judge on Samay Raina’s India’s Got Latent, mocked Kerala’s literacy with the phrase, “Kerala, saar… 100% literacy saar”, mimicking a Malayali accent. His remark came after a contestant from Kerala stated she had no political leanings and did not vote. The panel, which included Ranveer Allahbadia, Apoorva Mukhija, and Ashish Chanchlani, had already questioned the contestant’s stance before Singh’s comment triggered further backlash.
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Social media erupted, with Malayalis condemning the remark as an outdated stereotype. Many pointed out Kerala’s achievements in education, civic awareness, gender equality, and cultural harmony, arguing that literacy in the state extends beyond the ability to read and write—it represents a deep-rooted commitment to social progress.
Wafa Hussain, who is both a journalist at Timeline and a well-known influencer, posted a video addressing the comment. In her response, she defended Kerala’s progressive values and called out the misrepresentation of the state’s identity. While her video received widespread support, it also attracted a barrage of abusive messages.
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Speaking to Timeline, Wafa explained her position: “I was talking about the freedom and liberty we have in Kerala, particularly on food choices. I thought people would understand what eating beef literally means. I meant that here in Kerala, we have the right to eat what we like, regardless of our religious beliefs. I was also trying to point out the denial of food choices in various parts of India and the violence following that.”
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Her remarks, however, were met with a surge of online attacks, with many misinterpreting her statements. The abuse has ranged from personal insults to religious hate speech, with some users targeting her direct messages with threats, and some even called her a terrorist.
Wafa has announced that she will be filing legal complaints against those responsible for the harassment.
She had posted the video on Instagram, captioned, “I believe that having a sense of political leaning is important. Just as civic sense is essential, we also need a sense of politics, even if we don’t support any specific political party. However, many of us prefer not to engage in discussions about it because we feel that one party is worse than the other, and we genuinely mean it!As for @lifeofpaaji sir, we appreciate sarcasm and often turn it into something constructive. However, this time you missed the mark because you don’t know who we are. Please do some research before making a lame joke!Happy and proud that we live in GOD’s OWN COUNTRY🤍”
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Following the hate comments that overflowed in her comment box, Wafa had uploaded yet another video on Instagram expressing her distress over the hateful comments about Muslims. She wrote, “I’m appalled by the hateful comments about Muslims in my comment section and Inbox.
The fact that they’re reacting violently to a video that critiques a statement calling me TERRORIST, reveals their lack of literacy and understanding. The impact of the movie ‘Kerala Story’ is shocking, spreading propaganda and lies that have fueled hatred just by a movie is HUGE!!!. I’m left speechless by the harm!!!”
Apart from the hate comments, many users applauded for shifting the conversation from mockery to Kerala’s progressive value and reality. Some of the users extended their support by commenting with heart and fire emojis in her comment box.
The video has now surpassed over 5 million views and has garnered 142k likes.
