BJP leader and former Rajya Sabha MP Suresh Gopi courted controversy by misbehaving with a woman journalist during a media interaction at Kozhikode on October 26. The Kerala Union of Working Journalists condemned the incident and demanded an unconditional apology from Gopi while the Network of Women in Media, India, called for legal action by the Kerala government and the journalist’s employer.
Gopi, the chairman of the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute, did tender an apology on social media on October 28 and said that he touched the journalist with “fatherly” affection. The journalist, however, said that she would initiate legal action against the BJP leader. And, rightly so.
The video of the event, widely shared on social media, shows Gopi touching the journalist with a suggestive grin. The journalist, on duty, withdraws and carries on with her job, when Gopi repeats the inappropriate gesture. Exhibiting an appreciable presence of mind, the woman pushes his arm away.
This is not the first time that a woman journalist has been subjected to such reprehensible behaviour, particularly in the so-called progressive state of Kerala. Last year, actor Vinayakan, while trivialising the MeToo movement at a press meet, pointed to a woman journalist in the crowd and issued terribly sexist remarks that reeked of entitlement. Why do men repeat such offences with impunity? In our society, they are “allowed” to do so. Sample the comments after Gopi apologised on social media: “Great respect”, “that’s my brother”, “role model”. Men and women hailed him as a “great” person, even as one commentator went on to lecture how women “misuse” laws.
For some in the audience, these incidents provide entertainment. It’s unlikely that Gopi and others like him aren’t aware of this. And, of course, they have the comfort of political clout.
Gopi had courted controversy earlier as well: During the campaign for the 2019 parliamentary election, he touched a woman’s baby bump as if to bless the baby.
The MeToo movement has definitely given women the confidence to call out men who misbehave. But that’s clearly not enough. Society needs to step in and demand men treat women with dignity. Not only leaders or celebrities, no man should dare touch a woman without her consent. Workplaces shouldn’t fail her when she faces harassment. What happens today is exactly the opposite: Women are required to be constantly on their guard and are subject to intense scrutiny for the way they dress and talk.
The BJP leader’s act calls for action under the Protection of Women from Sexual Harassment (POSH) Act 2013. The recent past though offers little hope. Actor Dileep, accused in a sexual assault case of 2017, roams free as the case against him goes on. Men charged during the MeToo movement continue to be invited as guests at social and political events, while the women who called them out are denied opportunities and subjected to character assassination.
Speedy justice must be provided to women and strict action taken in ways that deter such indignity. Political parties and other organisations should shun such misogynistic men. Enough is enough. A woman deserves respect, on duty or otherwise. Respect her and earn respect.
yamini.nair@expressindia.com
