Last week, in what is widely called as India’s #MeToo movement, many people came forward to share their stories of sexual harassment, especially by people in power. Soon enough the movement snowballed and the who’s who of the film and media industry were named. The latest name to come out today has been Sidharth Bhatia, co-founder and founding editor of the leftist propaganda website ‘The Wire‘.
Bhatia has been named by at least two different women, in two separate incidents and accused of having used his position of power of sexually exploiting women.
How many inboxes must be filled with Feminist Liberal Uncle, The Wire founder, @bombaywallah‘s literary pleadings to bed young colleagues? Should we expose him, too? @neetakolhatkar @ranjona @TheRestlessQuil @rishibagree @seemantinibose
— Reema Sanyal (@domeofthedevil) 7 October 2018
Small bust-large behind: @bombaywallah had commented on me and winked at Gautam Adhikari at a DNA party
— Bharti Shukla (@right2livelife) 7 October 2018
One woman has accused Bhatia of ‘propositioning young interns in DNA (where Bhatia was previously associated with) offering tips on writing’. The second Twitter user has accused Bhatia of licking his ‘lower lip seeing bra straps of young women’ in office.
In the tweets, the women have even asked another journalist, Ranjona Banerjee, who was Bhatia’s deputy when in DNA, to speak up, implying Banerjee knew.
Come on @ranjona , speak up, you were @bombaywallah Sidharth Bhatia’s deputy in DNA. How many times did his lick lower lip seeing bra straps of young women in office!?!
— Bharti Shukla (@right2livelife) 7 October 2018
One of the woman even alleged that Siddharth Bhatia had ‘liked’ the tweet accusing him of sexual harassment. However, it seems like he had later ‘unliked’. If the woman’s assertions are true, it would mean that Bhatia was online and is now aware of the allegations being made against him.
Wow, look, he is even liked the tweet. Shamelessness takes a new level
— Reema Sanyal (@domeofthedevil) October 7, 2018
Meanwhile, many Twitter users have accused Twitter of ‘shadow banning’ Twitter users like Sheena who are naming and shaming the alleged sexual predators for outing the names.
So this girl @weeny who is exposing all the perverts, mostly LW, has been shadow banned by “Left Leaning @twitter” good job @jack ???????? pic.twitter.com/ePt5eXqO1A
— Shash (@pokershash) October 7, 2018
Bhatia, while still active on Twitter (his last tweet at the time of this report is at 8:25 pm, while the above tweets accusing him are before 2:30 pm today), hasn’t either confirmed or denied the accusations on him. Neither has The Wire issued any statement. We will update the article if and when such a statement is issued.
Update: At 10:17 AM on 8th October 2018, Siddharth Bhatia, the co-founder and founding editor of The Wire responded to the allegations levelled against him. He has categorically denied the allegations and even knowing the women in question who levelled these allegations.
Wild allegations about me are doing the rounds on Twitter. @thewire_in too has been dragged into it. Here’s my statement about it. I would also urge fellow professional journalists not to fall for rumour and innuendo. pic.twitter.com/6J4uCIOwnv
— Sidharth Bhatia (@bombaywallah) October 8, 2018
