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This is an archive article published on November 25, 2013
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Opinion Letters to the editor: The mighty fall

It is unfortunate that Shoma Chaudhury,a so-called crusader for women’s rights and managing editor of Tehelka,chose to shield Tarun Tejpal.

November 25, 2013 05:50 AM IST First published on: Nov 25, 2013 at 05:50 AM IST

The mighty fall

* It is unfortunate that Shoma Chaudhury,a so-called crusader for women’s rights and managing editor of Tehelka,chose to shield Tarun Tejpal,who has been accused of sexually assaulting a young woman journalist (‘Day after the “crime”,the same Shoma reflected on the “beast in our midst”’ (IE,November 22). According to Arun Jaitley,the alleged assault constitutes rape under criminal law. If convicted,Tejpal could be put away for a minimum of 10 years. The way in which Tehelka dealt with charges of such a grave nature is disgusting. It is appalling that Chaudhury was brazen enough to maintain that Tejpal’s “recusal” was more than what the victim had asked for,and that the media must not feel more “aggrieved” than the victim herself. I hope Tehelka staffers take Chaudhury to task for her unsatisfactory and misogynistic response.

— K.S. Sundaram

Bangalore

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* How ironic that Shoma Chaudhury was busy pledging her support to rape victims shortly after Tarun Tejpal allegedly sexually assaulted his subordinate. I am deeply pained. I always thought of Tehelka as a courageous publication that was concerned about gender issues and justice,and which pulled the high and mighty up for their misconduct. The campaign that the magazine ran in the aftermath of the December 16 gangrape seems so hollow now. The fact that Tejpal termed the alleged assault as “unfortunate”,“a lapse of judgement” and an awful “misreading” of the situation leads me to believe that he underplayed the episode. He cannot decide his own fate and punishment. He is accused of a criminal offence and his fate shall be decided by a court of law. That Chaudhury described the assault as an internal matter was shocking.

— Bidyut K.Chatterjee

Faridabad

Colonial mind

* This refers to ‘The colour of prejudice’ by Diepiriye Kuku-Siemons (IE,November 21). I agree with the writer about “the casteism in contemporary racism,and the racism in contemporary casteism”. Even if the government finds ways to be more welcoming and convinces Nigerians not to leave India,how will we intervene and force property agents,landlords and other people to be more humane? Our colonial mentality is embarrassing.

— Ankush Nandy

Durgapur

Common sense

* The Bangalore ATM attack was unfortunate. It was also wholly avoidable. ATMs are known to be places where people will have cash in their hands and might be vulnerable. Banks ought to provide better security at ATMs.

— Marzun E. Jokhi

Ahmedabad