#Me Too Movement cannot become a “Sullying #U Too” Campaign Forever

#Me Too Movement cannot become a “Sullying #U Too” Campaign Forever

Background

Brief on the Campaign

Me Too Campaign was originally introduced by Tarana Burke, a Civil Rights Activist at The Bronx, NewYork in 2006 who found the Me Too Campaign in support of victims of sexual assault. The movement though did not create a hustle until October, 2017.The Year 2017 saw a steaming list of damsels and married ladies who delineated their several instances of assault and sexual harassment in different segments into their reports with the most famous Tag lines, the # Me Too Movement.

It all started when an American activist and actor, Alyssa Milano promoted an idea which read “Suggested by a Friend” for all women who have been sexually harassed and assaulted. It said such women to write #Me Too in their status and this would add a sense of magnitude to the problem. Milano happened to initiate the movement while she received a flurry of articles pertaining Harvey Weinstein, who is an American film producer. He and his brother Bob Weinstein co-founded the entertainment company Miramax, which produced several successful independent films, including Sex, Lies, and Videotape, The Crying Game, Pulp Fiction, Heavenly Creatures, Flirting with Disaster, and Shakespeare in Love. Weinstein is accused of sexually assaulting a 16 year old Polish Model, has been sued by German Actress Emma Loman for alleged rape, Actress Ashley Judd sues Weinstein claiming he damaged her career in retaliation for her rejecting his sexual advances and what not. There have been multiple allegations hurled upon the mogul which has led to an uproar in the movement.

After full one year of accusations imposed against several psychopaths who have either committed or have encouraged the idea of committing sexual offences against women, the movement reaches India in 2018 with the Bollywood industry being the country’s first.
It started when Bollywood Actress Tanushree Dutta accussed the famous Senior Bollywood Actor Nana Patekar of sexually harassing her on the sets of a 2008 film. The Padma Shri and National Award Winner Nana Patekar has been denying the allegations made against him.
In light of this event, the entire Bollywood industry came to a start when several actresses and models opened up about their stories and labelled them as the Me Too movement agenda.

Despite the movement being a boon to the assaulted and tortured women of the society, there are several controversies which have implicit indications of pecuniary interest on the part of the Complainant.

Despite the movement being a boon to the assaulted and tortured women of the society, there are several controversies which have implicit indications of pecuniary interest on the part of the Complainant.

ISSUE

The debate concerning the veracity of the Complainants turned into a hassle when Zulfiqar Ahman Khan (here, Petitioner) files a suit against a News Portal , The Quint, which had published false allegations against the Petitioner.

The Delhi High Court Comprising of a Single Judge Bench of Justice Prathiba M Singh observed The Right to be Forgotten and the Right to be Left alone as an inherent part of the right to Personal life and liberty, the Article 21 of the Constitution.
This observation forms a part of the order in a suit seeking to restraint the news portal, The Quint, from publishing two defamatory articles against the Plaintiff, Zulfiqar Ahman Khan.

The facts of the case did portray the existing conundrum in the Me Too Campaign

•  A well known Digital Platform Publishes two Articles against the Plaintiff on the basis of harassment complaints received by them in October, 2018.
•  The three individuals who level the charges against the Plaintiff remain anonymous and unidentified
• The Plantiff moves to the Delhi High Court claiming himself to be a famous media personality who has undergone several tortures and insults due to the “baseless allegations”.
• The High Court thereafter restrains the republication of the Articles on December 17th, 2018.
• The Digital Pages and their Authors take down their Articles just five days after the High Court orders
•  The Plaintiff’s Counsel on May 9th,2018 points out that the articles which were restrained by the web portal has been picked up again by some other web portal.
• The Single Judge Bench comprising of Justice Prathiba M Singh stated that since the original publisher has already agreed to pull down the Article, further republication of the Articles must be restrained.
• The plaintiff thus has a right to ensure that the Articles are further not published on any kind of multiple or electronic media forms.
• The Bench also directed that any republication of the content originally impugned articles ,their extracts or excerpts thereof, on any print or web media portal shall stand restrained during the pendency of the suit.
• The next hearing is said to be on 1st August, 2019.

The Case is said to Define the Right to be Forgotten and the Right to Stand alone as the inherent aspects of the Right to Privacy under Article 21 of the Constitution.

Conclusion

The Me Too Campaign has its own setbacks apart from several encouraging aspects for female victims who have been facing sexual violence
in the society today. Several web portals are hurling allegations against the veracity of charges levelled against the Hon’ble Chief Justice of India, Ranjan Gogoi. The statement made by the Allahabad High Court Advocate Utsav Bains has created further controversy. As per the High Court Advocate, the other judges and members of the Supreme Court have together knit this plot in order to defame the country’s CJI.

Though the court is still looking into the matter, the fact that the Campaign is misused does not remain a question of doubt.
Several top-notch politicians such as Bal Thakerey have been referring the Me Too Campaign as a joke which has watered down even those cases that are genuine. He also called for strict actions and punishments against the anonymous individuals so that the frivolous cases are not encouraged.


The #Me Too Campaign indeed cannot be allowed to become a ‘Sullying’ U Too Campaign.