Indian ‘#MeToo’: MSCW issues notice to actor Nana Patekar on Tanushree Dutta’s allegation

It seems that the Indian ‘MeToo’ campaign may be far more disastrous than its counterparts elsewhere in the world.

Several big shots fall prey to the campaign each day. Acclaimed actor Nana Patekar is one of those who have fallen into the clutches of this campaign in the recent past.

It is popular actress Tanushree Dutta who has triggered first shot against Mr Patekar. There is no doubt that it has been a very disastrous shot. Though Mr Patekar has been courageously trying to defend him since the birth of the allegation, his efforts have shown no sign of progress till now.

Now, the Maharashtra State Commission for Women has also interfered into the issue. The commission has issued notice to the actor and several others who have been named in the allegation raised by the actress. By directing all production companies to comply with the law requiring the establishment and proper maintenance of an internal sexual harassment complaint authority, it has even gone a step further to protect the interest of women.

Actually, the campaign is not limited to the Bollywood. It has travelled a long way from the North towards the South, to the God’s Own Country. In Kerala, its first prey is Actor Mukesh. It is a lady technician who has levelled the allegation against Mr Mukesh.

Meanwhile, the campaign has triggered a discussion on the subject ‘can a person raise an allegation potential enough to destroy another’s life, if he/she has no evidence to prove it before the court of law or is not interested to prove it before the court of law.

The aforementioned may be a relevant question. But, actually, it is important to find answer to another question before considering the aforesaid one: is it fair to discourage those who show courage, unlike many of our sisters and mothers, to come up in a public forum to disclose the most unhappy experiences they have underwent to encourage others to acquire strength to fight fearlessly against the evil of the sexual harassment in workplace and all other environments.

Vignesh. S. G

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