A day after actress Payal Ghosh accused director Anurag Kashyap of sexual assault, several ‘feminists’ nad ‘liberals’ took to Twitter to blame the victim and absolve him of all allegations.
‘Feminist’ and women’s right champion, Taapsee Pannu, came up with a befitting reply. In an Instagram post, she declared the accused as the ‘biggest feminist’. Hailing his work for promoting the cause of ‘women empowerment’, the actress wrote, “See you on the sets soon of yet another piece of art that shows how powerful and significant women are in the world you create :)”
Ironically, Taapsee had earlier not been as kind to other men who were accused of similar charges.
In 2018, at the height of #MeTooIndia movement, Taaspee had claimed that the movement of calling out sexual abuse in film and entertainment industry will not reach a productive conclusion until people within the industry stop celebrating the accused and the guilty. She had even gone on to say that the embarrassment increases if women themselves don’t stand by the movement. Looks like Taapsee is soon going to be embarrassed by her own self.I don’t think this #Metoo can reach any productive conclusion until we stop celebrating the accused and guilty to begin with. And embarrassment becomes even more when women themselves don’t stand by this movement and rather go against it. It could’ve been you! #NotDone
— taapsee pannu (@taapsee) October 20, 2018
Propagandist masquerading as filmmaker-journalist, Vinod Kapri defended the accused by resorting to victim-shaming. Casting aspersions on the integrity of the victim, he asked, “I have one question. Why is she making the accusations after so many years? She does not even remember the year in which the incident took place (2014 or 2015).”
पायल घोष की शिकायत पर @anuragkashyap72 पर
— Vinod Kapri (@vinodkapri) September 19, 2020
जाँच हो
FiR हो
जेल भेज दो
सूली पर लटका दो
मेरा एक ही सवाल है कि
इतने साल बाद जब ये शिकायत कर रही हैं
तो इन्हें घटना का साल भी याद नहीं
2014 या 2015 ? https://t.co/YjMoSWCPrI pic.twitter.com/T3E4XVHBgm
Congress worker Pankhuri Pathak retweeted the ‘victim-blaming’ tweet of Vinod Kapri and weaved a political conspiracy behind the allegations. “It’s a matter of coincidence that Anurag Kashyap shows mirror to BJP-propagandist Kangana Ranaut and in just two days, an unknown actress files charges against him.” Dubbing the victim as an ‘unknown actress’ and the incident a ploy of the BJP, Pankhuri further stated, “Not only this, the actress is a big fan of Narendra Modi and BJP leader Paresh Rawal. One coincidence after another…” This was retweeted by Anurag Kashyap himself.
ज़बरदस्त इत्तेफाक है कि @anuragkashyap72 भाजपा प्रचारक @KanganaTeam को आइना दिखाते हैं और दो ही दिन में एक अनजान ‘ अभिनेत्री ‘ आ कर उन पर इल्ज़ाम लगा देती है ।
— Pankhuri Pathak पंखुड़ी पाठक پنکھڑی (@pankhuripathak) September 19, 2020
यही नहीं , यह अभिनेत्री @narendramodi व भाजपा नेता @SirPareshRawal की बड़ी फैन भी है।
इत्तेफाक ही इत्तेफाक है ! https://t.co/bzkZC5nI9x
While fellow director and friend Anubhav Singh did not tweet anything in support of Kashyap, he retweeted the accused’s tweet wherein he gave himself a clean chit. Anurag Kashyap had tweeted, “I neither behave in this manner nor tolerate such behaviour under any circumstances. We will see whatever happens now.” The accused director had then questioned the victim’s integrity and said, “We can see how honest is your testimony in the video. Much love and prayers for you (Payal Ghosh). Sorry for responding to your allegations in Hindi.”
Abusive troll who likes to identify herself as a journalist Swati Chaturvedi, sided with Anurag Kashyap and accused netizens of ‘despicable’ behaviour for calling out the director. In her tweet, Swati wrote, “I knew Anurag Kashyap would be attacked but, the attack would be so despicable leaves me slightly surprised.” The ‘journalist’ then tried to give a political spin to the sexual assault case and suggested that the ‘attack’ on the director was the result of PM Modi’s ‘anger’.
I knew @anuragkashyap72 would be attacked but, the attack would be so despicable leaves me slightly surprised. Modi is angry v angry
— Swati Chaturvedi (@bainjal) September 20, 2020
Congress Youth worker, Srivatsa insinuated that one would be hounded like Anurag Kashyap if he dared to raise voice against the ‘injustice’.
Drawing parallels with Kangana Ranaut, who was harassed by the Congress-backed Maharashtra government, the Congressman tweeted, “In Modi’s India, u can either choose to be Kangana or Anurag. Choose to be Kangana, u get Y-security, media PR & money Choose to be Anurag, u get cases, harassment & threats. But raising your voice against injustice is infinitely better than being Modi’s poodle.”
In Modi’s India, u can either choose to be @KanganaTeam or @anuragkashyap72
— Srivatsa (@srivatsayb) September 20, 2020
Choose to be Kangana, u get Y-security, media PR & money
Choose to be Anurag, u get cases, harassment & threats
But raising your voice against injustice is infinitely better than being Modi’s poodle.
‘Writer’ and infamous Islamist Hussain Haidry took came to Kashyap’s rescue. Rubbishing the serious allegations against the director, he claimed that several people are willing to stand by him than those influenced by money and power. Hussain tweeted, “One can malign Anurag Kashyap as much as one wants. But the number of people who will stand up for him—like, literally even take a beating for him—will always outnumber the people money and power can buy. For it comes from hard-earned and well-deserved respect for him.”
One can malign Anurag Kashyap as much as one wants.
— Hussain Haidry (@hussainhaidry) September 20, 2020
But the number of people who will stand up for him—like, literally even take a beating for him—will always outnumber the people money and power can buy.
For it comes from hard-earned and well-deserved respect for him.
Sexual assault charges against Anurag Kashyap
Accusing the director of sexual assault, actress Payal Ghosh stated, “I went to meet him and the next day when he took me to the other room, he opened his zip and tried to force his c**k (penis) inside my vagina by opening my Salwar Kameez. He said it was okay and all the actresses who worked with him such as Huma Qureshi, Richa Chadha, Mahi Gill, they are just a call away.”
Apparently, Anurag Kashyap told her, ‘Whenever I call them, they come running and suck my c**k (penis)”. The director also told her that such physical relationships are normal. The next day he called me again. He said he wanted to discuss something with me. I went to his place, he was drinking whiskey or scotch, whatever I don’t know. It was smelling very bad. It could easily have been charas or ganja, drugs I don’t know, I don’t have any idea about it but I am not stupid,’ Payal Ghosh stated.
