Why Tarun Tejpal and Tehelka Should be Downright Ashamed!
by Sonal Bhadoria , IndiaTimes | November 21, 2013, 3:41 pm IST
What are the excuses now? The December 16th gang-rape rushed into national consciousness because the victim could have been ‘anyone of us’. The gang-rape of a photo journalist in Mumbai shocked because it put a big dent in Mumbai’s image for being safe for women. But the common thread between these two ghastly stories was-the men were from the lower strata of society-less educated, with ad-hoc jobs and the perfect definition of an anti-social element.
But as this sensational story broke out, which described how a reputed journalist-Tarun Tejpal of Tehelka had molested a woman journalist who was his daughter’s friend and the daughter of an ex-colleague, we have to come to terms with the fact that erudite, “educated” and these so called “respectable” men are more or less same as the animals who committed the above mentioned heinous crimes. Agreed, it is plain stupid to even attempt to compare these unrelated but ghastly events, but men can no longer blame it on education, society and other unrelated factors, because one of their kind has just shamed the whole kind.
So what really happened? A woman editor of Tehelka was molested by editor-in-chief Tarun Tejpal during Tehelka's Think festival that was held in Goa from November 08 to 10.
Without going into tawdry details, what has been learnt that Tejpal molested the journalist on not one, but two separate occasions. As we had mentioned, the journalist was not only the daughter of Tejpal’s ex-colleague, but his daughter’s good friend too. After the first incident, Tejpal is said to have told the distraught victim, who had resisted his assault and was walking off, that this was the easiest way for her to keep the job. He attempted to assault her again the next day.
The victim claims to have received several SMSes from Tejpal, who tried to brush it off as a small incident. She had informed her friend-Tejpal’s daughter and 3 others of the incident and then proceeded to write an email to Tehelka’s managing editor Shoma Chaudhury reporting the incident and calling for action against Tejpal.She also demanded action under the Supreme Court of India's Vishaka Judgement guidelines regarding sexual harassment.
Firstly, let us take a moment to salute the victim who had the courage to speak up against her boss and a well known journalist, being fully aware her identity may become public and her career as a journalist maybe put on the line. The victim’s decision to stay silent on such occasions has been lamented by many as the main reason for emboldening men in power-such as Tejpal, who get great male ego boost everytime a victim chooses to stay silent, giving them a false sense of bravado to take on their next target.
Secondly, Tejpal’s response to the whole incident has been nothing but pathetic. In an email to the magazine's managing editor Shoma Chaudhury he wrote: "The last few days have been most testing, and I squarely take the blame for this. A bad lapse of judgment, an awful misreading of the situation, have led to an unfortunate incident that rails against all we believe in and fight for. I have already unconditionally apologized for my misconduct to the concerned journalist, but I feel impelled to atone further. I feel atonement cannot be just words. I must do the penance that lacerates me. I am therefore offering to recuse myself from the editorship of Tehelka, and from the Tehelka office, for the next six months."
The fact that he was willing to put his reputation, his career and his name on the line for a carnal urge is one end of the stupidity spectrum for Tejpal. But his assumption that this high brow apology, featuring fancy words can make up for his lewd actions just acts as a reminder of his big ego. The incident, which may have scarred a girl for life, leave alone destroy her trust , has been described as a mere bad lapse of judgment, an awful misreading of the situation, clearly showing he STILL doesn’t think it was a big deal. And he means to show that his “unconditional apology” is although enough, he still feels impelled to atone further. He feels lacerated and for that he must do penance. All hail Tarun Tejpal, apparently the latest reincarnation of Jesus Christ.
And how guilty does he feel, Mr Tejpal seems to have scientifically calculated. Just enough to let go of his position for 6 months. Ah, just enough for the girl to recover, is it Mr. Tejpal? He may have built a career out of exposing our corrupt politicians through sting operations, but his exposed misogynistic self is the perhaps the most ugly of the lot.
More shocking has been the weak reaction of managing editor Shoma Chaudhury, whose actions seem to convey she has sided with the tormentor instead of the victim. “There has been an untoward incident and though he has extended an unconditional apology to the colleague involved, Tarun will be recusing himself as the editor of Tehelka for the next six months,” Chaudhary wrote in a mail to her colleagues.
Chaudhury told The Indian Express that the woman journalist had not filed a criminal complaint and that she, as well as other staffers, were “satisfied with the action taken”.Tehelka has said that the magazine has not instituted an enquiry into the matter. “It is an internal problem and we are not setting up any enquiry into the matter,” Chaudhary told Business Standard.
Given the fact the victim had mailed her in expecting some stern action and in the hope she, being a woman, would understand her pain, Shoma Chaudhury’s response has been disappointing.
Powerful men who think they can have their way always are the big problem here. And a Tarun Tejpal, who is going to cool off somewhere for 6 months before resuming work that involves writing scathing articles and exposes about corrupt politicians and the sad state of affairs in India, is one of them. But just an advice, we hope next time his magazine writes about rape or women safety in India, they do a double check. Hypocrisy can be as bad as a typo.
The fact that he was willing to put his reputation, his career and his name on the line for a carnal urge is one end of the stupidity spectrum for Tejpal. But his assumption that this high brow apology, featuring fancy words can make up for his lewd actions just acts as a reminder of his big ego. The incident, which may have scarred a girl for life, leave alone destroy her trust , has been described as a mere bad lapse of judgment, an awful misreading of the situation, clearly showing he STILL doesn’t think it was a big deal. And he means to show that his “unconditional apology” is although enough, he still feels impelled to atone further. He feels lacerated and for that he must do penance. All hail Tarun Tejpal, apparently the latest reincarnation of Jesus Christ.
And how guilty does he feel, Mr Tejpal seems to have scientifically calculated. Just enough to let go of his position for 6 months. Ah, just enough for the girl to recover, is it Mr. Tejpal? He may have built a career out of exposing our corrupt politicians through sting operations, but his exposed misogynistic self is the perhaps the most ugly of the lot.
More shocking has been the weak reaction of managing editor Shoma Chaudhury, whose actions seem to convey she has sided with the tormentor instead of the victim. “There has been an untoward incident and though he has extended an unconditional apology to the colleague involved, Tarun will be recusing himself as the editor of Tehelka for the next six months,” Chaudhary wrote in a mail to her colleagues.
Chaudhury told The Indian Express that the woman journalist had not filed a criminal complaint and that she, as well as other staffers, were “satisfied with the action taken”.Tehelka has said that the magazine has not instituted an enquiry into the matter. “It is an internal problem and we are not setting up any enquiry into the matter,” Chaudhary told Business Standard.
Given the fact the victim had mailed her in expecting some stern action and in the hope she, being a woman, would understand her pain, Shoma Chaudhury’s response has been disappointing.
Powerful men who think they can have their way always are the big problem here. And a Tarun Tejpal, who is going to cool off somewhere for 6 months before resuming work that involves writing scathing articles and exposes about corrupt politicians and the sad state of affairs in India, is one of them. But just an advice, we hope next time his magazine writes about rape or women safety in India, they do a double check. Hypocrisy can be as bad as a typo.
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