Payal Rohatgi sparks row over tweet on Ram Mohan Roy

Actor-model Payal Rohatgi has sparked off a row on social media with her comments insulting the legendary Raja Ram Mohan Roy, one of the greatest social reformers who crusaded against customs like Sati, polygamy, child marriage and the caste system.

She described Roy as a "chamcha to Britishers" and said that sati was not regressive.

Raja Ram Mohan Roy (22 May 1772 – 27 September 1833) was one of the founders of the Brahmo Sabha, the precursor of the Brahmo Samaj, a socio-religious reform movement in the Indian subcontinent and considered the "Father of the Indian Renaissance."

The actor, who has acted in films like Corporate, Dhol, 36 China Town, Dil Kabaddi, Rakht, posted a video and said: "Truth Behind Sati Pratha in India https://youtu.be/fQcxDDh9dXs via @YouTube #Jauhar was an incident related to Padmavati during Mughal Khiljis invasion. Later, a society with the help of traitors like Raja Ram who Britishers used 2 divide society made Sati into an evil forceful practice."

In another tweet, she said: "he was a chamcha to Britishers who used him to defame the Sati tradition. Sati tradition was not compulsory but was introduced to prevent the prostitution of Hindu wives by the hands of Mughal invaders. It was the woman’s choice. #FeministsofIndia Sati was not regressive".

Veteran journalist, author and filmmaker Pritish Nandy said: "Holy smokes! Where did this one come from? Raja Ram Mohan Roy, the great reformist, is now a “chamcha” of the British! Wonderful. Here come new India’s historians."

Payal also went on to add: "Why are aunties so desperate to declare me mad? Just because I am trying to understand Indian history related to Hinduism? Is it a crime to get unbiased information? Why am I supposed to hate Hinduism to be #sane? Hating the worlds oldest religion means I am Normal #Sati".