NEW DELHI/INDIA, 16NOV10 - Shoma Chaudhury, Ma...

NEW DELHI/INDIA, 16NOV10 – Shoma Chaudhury, Managing Editor, Tehelka, India, during the What Kind of Superpower will India Be? Debate at the World Economic Forum’s India Economic Summit 2010 held in New Delhi, 14-16 November 2010. Copyright (cc-by-sa) © World Economic Forum (www.weforum.org/Photo Eric Miller [email protected] (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

We condemn the BJP lynch mob that attacked Tehelka managing Editor Shoma Chaudhuri’s house, physically jostling her at the entrance. Unsurprisingly, the BJP and right-wing forces in general have pounced upon the Tehelka sexual assault case to  sweep attention away from the sexual crimes of their own Asaram Bapus and their Sahabs.

While Shoma Chaudhuri failed in her responsibility as an employer when approached by an employee complaining of sexual harassment within the organization, she is neither  an accomplice nor an accessory to the crime of sexual assault of which the Tehelka Editor Tarun Tejpal is accused.

We also condemn the online harassment meted out to other women employees in Tehelka by the right wing brigade in the internet. Such harassment is only further evidence of the double standards of the right-wing forces who see this attack on the woman journalist as a political opportunity.

 

Sexual harassment and violence against women respects no political boundaries, and we are appalled that a party responsible for large scale violence against women should present itself as the saviour of women’s rights, and that, through a physical attack on a woman journalist. We recognize the distasteful political pre-election opportunism at work in these self-righteous stands by an ethically bankrupt party, and demand that Shoma Chaudhuri’s safety be assured by the state.

 

  1. Nivedita Menon
  2. Rohini Hensman, writer and activist
  3. Ayesha Kidwai
  4. Devaki Jain
  5. Abha Bhaiya
  6. Radhika Desai
  7. Arundhati Dhuru, NAPM
  8. Anita Ghai
  9. Rachna Johri
  10. Kamayani Bali Mahabal, Feminist and Human rights activist ,Mumbai
  11. Juhi Jain, Feminist Activist
  12. Rakhi Sehgal, Labour Activist,
  13. Kavitha Muralidharan
  14. Shreya Ila Anasuya
  15. Trupti, SAHIYAR
  16. Neelanjana Mukhia, Feminist Activist
  17. Srila Roy
  18. Ramlath Kavil
  19. Supriya Madangarli
  20. Amrita Shodhan
  21. Geetanjali Gangoli
  22. Shahida Murtaza
  23. Seema Kulkarni
  24. Suneeta Dhar
  25. Lalita Ramdas
  26. Ramu Ramdas
  27. Preethi Krishnan
  28. Sheba George, SAHRWARU
  29. Chayanika Shah, Mumbai
  30. Jayasree Subramaniam, TISS
  31. Anuradha Kapoor, SWAYAM
  32. Shilpa Phadke, TISS, Mumbai
  33. Shipra Nigam
  34. Kavita Krishnan, AIPWA
  35. Kalyani Menon Sen
  36. Malika Virdhi, Maati
  37. Meena Seshu
  38. Kavita Srivastava
  39. Kiran Shaheen, Journalist and Democratic Rights Activist
  40. Shoba Ghosh
  41. Rachana Johri
  42. Vasanth Kannabiran
  43. Laxmi Murthy, Journalist
  44. Vrinda Grover, Advocate
  45. Dyuti
  46. Rimple Mehta
  47. Sadhna Arya
  48. Ayesha Kidwai
  49.  Anusha Hariharan, Researcher
  50. Geeta Seshu, Journalist, Mumbai
  51. Suroor

  52. Purva Bharadwaj

  53. Saumya Uma

  54. Sujata Gothoskar

  55. Geeta Ramaseshan

  56. Urvashi Butalia

  57. Anita Roy

  58. Ishani Butalia

  59. Shweta Vachani

  60. Deepti

  61. Rajashri Dasgupta

  62. Soma Marik

  63. K.Lalita

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