Former Bollywood actor-turned-activist Somy Ali, who currently runs her NGO No More Tears in Florida, has dedicated her life to supporting survivors of abuse. Having witnessed countless struggles and abuse against silence and stigma, she has now turned her attention to what she calls the most dangerous tactic used by those in power—“the weapons of mass distraction.”
“I’ve spent the last two decades fighting for survivors of abuse, and I’ve seen every possible tactic used to silence the truth. But nothing compares to the most dangerous tactic of all, what I call weapons of mass distraction,” she said.
She explained how the system works and said, “It works like this: fill the public square with noise. Buckwass gossip. Manufactured scandals. Paid PR spin. Keep the public busy with nonsense, and they won’t look at what really matters."
She didn’t hold back while pointing to a pressing example. She said, “Here’s what really matters today: a convicted man, sentenced to five years in prison, continues to host prime-time television shows and bask in the adoration of millions. On September 22, he is due to appear in court in Rajasthan, with a Bishnoi prosecutor present, yet you will not find this on the front pages. You won’t even find it on page 22.”
Somy stressed that this silence is not accidental. She asked, “Why? Because distraction is the oxygen of power. It is how predators and criminals in powerful positions survive. They do not need to erase their crimes; they only need to make sure no one is paying attention to them.”
“And so, the machinery kicks in. News cycles shift to who wore what and who said what at Bollywood parties and who unfollowed whom on Instagram. These stories are fed to us like candy while the rot of impunity festers in plain sight,” she added.
Her words cut deep as she raised the question that truly matters. She said, “Let us ask the real question: What message do we send to survivors of abuse when those convicted of crimes walk red carpets, host reality shows, and play judge, jury, and executioner on national television? We send the message that truth doesn’t matter. That power trumps justice. That distraction is stronger than accountability.”
She warned that this issue is much larger than one individual. “This is not just about one celebrity or one case. It is about the cancer of normalization. When society allows convicted criminals to reinvent themselves as entertainers or leaders, we don’t just fail justice; we destroy it," she said.
Somy’s anger comes from lived experience with survivors. “The irony is sickening: I have sat with women and children who risk their lives to testify against abusers. I have watched them stand trembling in front of judges, hoping for protection. And here we are, watching a convicted man live as though the sentence never existed," she said.
The timing of the next hearing only sharpens the contrast, and she added, “On September 22, while the courtroom in Rajasthan quietly convenes, India’s screens will continue to beam his face into millions of homes. That is the weapon of mass distraction at work. That is how a nation is lulled into complicity.”
She believes distraction from the real issue must be rejected and said, “We must demand that the media do their job: report the truth, not bury it under glitter and gossip. Survivors deserve better. India deserves better. Humanity deserves better.”
She concluded with a chilling reminder. “Because when weapons of mass distraction replace justice, the casualties are not celebrities; they are the victims, the voiceless, the forgotten,” Somy shared.
