MeTOO 2

My last blog on this topic was exactly  a week back on  8th Oct. After writing that blog many more women have come out and joined this movement #MeToo, and they have started implicating many celebrities for sexual harassment. Prominent among them are

• Alok Nath- Film & TV actress Sandhya Mridul was the first to speak against him about sexual molestation . Later another film & TV actress Himani Shivpuri also spoke against Alok Nath, about his behavioural change after having few drinks late in the evening. Alok Nath’s wife has filed a defamation suit against Sandhya Mridul.
• Two days back Model -Actress Kate Sharma filed  an official complaint against film maker Subhash Ghai, alleging that he sexually harassed  and blackmailed her. This incident happened recently in first week of Aug 2018.

• Sajid Khan- Actor and Director had to stepped down as director of movie Housefull 4, he was also reportedly implicated by few starlets for sexual harassment. Film actor Akshay Kumar refused to work with Sajid Khan.
• Film maker Subhash Kapoor also had to leave film Moghul, as Aamir Khan refused to work with him, because he was also facing sexual harassment charges.
• Politician and current central minister MJ Akbar – is also implicated by 5 women journalist for sexual harassment. In a statement Akbar said the charges against him are fabricated, and further added that why this storm has risen a few months before elections. The five women journalists who accused him said they stood by their statement. Suparna Sharma, the Resident Editor of Asian Age, I stand by my testimony and I am ready to fight in court of law.

I really wonder, why these women were keeping quite for last so many years. After so many years the men, whom they have charged, are going to deny these charges and it will be very difficult for them to prove the charges in court of law because for lack of evidence.

We do not know whether the charges against these celebrities are true or not. In some cases earlier it was found that for taking revenge, the women falsely implicate the men. Few years back one starlet accused one famous director for raping her, whereas the fact was for almost three years they were staying together, but when he did not cast her in his film, she went to police station with the complaint of rape. If I recalled correctly the director was acquitted in this case. The problem is that the celebrity who are being implicated are either from film industry / politician/Media, because these are the fields which are mostly dis organised, and these organisation generally do not have committee where one can complain about sexual harassment.

In general the law is in favour of woman in sexual harassment cases provided there is  availability of some direct or indirect evidence.

And what about sexual harassment faced by men. This is also prevalent in many field, but because our society is Patriarchal in nature, so no one believes man can also be sexually exploited. You read in books and also see in movies, where they show how men are facing sexual harassment. I have heard/read about lot of cases where a woman in a fit of anger or revenge files a complaint of attempted rape. As women is termed as weaker sex , therefore in the law she has been given more protection, but sometimes few women take the advantage of the same law to take the revenge, and implicate the man falsely.  Same is the case in Anti Dowry Law for women.

Presently in ,many countries, including India, in certain section of Society you will find many women, who can go to any level to achieve their objectives. But if they do not achieve what they desire then they  go and file a false complaint against man, and law will still favour them. Agreed the women are weaker sex and they should be protected by law, but they should not use law to their advantage and ruin some man’s reputation and career. I have read about a case , where a man was falsely implicated in sexual harassment case, and he had to leave his job, with his tarnished reputation he was finding it difficult to get the job in a corporate world and in the end he committed suicide.

My only submission is that #MeToo campaign is good, but it can not be used for settling scores and tarnishing somebody’s reputation & character.  Secondly in every field/company/industry there should be a grievance cell as prescribed by law, where sexual harassment complaint should be addressed in very expeditious manner.

I recall a case in a company, where I was working earlier. Here the HR Manager commented about a woman employee’s figure in person to her only, and the woman employee really got offended, and she went  and talked to a very senior woman employee, and this senior took the matter to Chairman of the company and HR Manager was asked to quit immediately, and this whole matter got over in 3 to 4 days.

Awaiting your feed backs/comments/views on the above blog.

Anil Malik

Mumbai, India

15th Oct, 2018.