Yes, Shoma Chaudhury I am the Aggrieved Party!

Shoma Chaudhury the well known face of so called outrageous journalism in India, today is leaving no stone unturned in a never-before-like face saving exercise which is shamelessly continued even after the judgment error confession by the convict.

The way things are unfolding truly shows the duality in the principles of those who have always unanimously scrutinized others on the name of Free, Fair and fearless journalism. When times now correspondent Aditya Raj Kaul asked Tehelka managing editor Shoma Chaudhury that why doesn’t Tarun Tejpal face criminal investigation on serious charge of sexual assault by a female journalist? She hit back with an unimaginable, “Are you the aggrieved party” remark. This comes from the lady who has always taken intrusion in private spaces as a right most granted.

Even in any case that’s the last thing any sane journalist would ever say. Had Shoma forgotten all her voyages she took on the name of outrageous investigative journalism? The lady who always possessed a holier-than-thou attitude has even now kept that thinking shamelessly intact. There is no sign of remorse at all. 

It is amazing to know that she is the same lady who few days back has asked for CBI chief’s resignation over a remark where an analogy by him referred to enjoyment of rape. Now, when her own boss has practically implemented an example of the same volume, she is jumping fences advocating that six month sabbatical as penance is more than enough. Clearly when her own house is on fire, the bandit queen has turned soft-hearted angel of peace.

Shoma Chaudhury is a well known face in corridors of journalism even outside India. In 2011 US magazine Newsweek has featured her in the list of 150 powerful women who can shake the world. Yes, she can and she had, but two years down the line she today comes out as a weak, insensitive, unremorseful lady who has a different yardstick for her own friend and foes and a different one for everyone else. Maybe, that’s what Tehelka always meant by Free and fair motto.
Her ideologies have always offended not one but many, her biased hate-spewing-rhetoric were clearly visible many a times. The journalism she always practiced was not much appreciated even by many of her own fraternity. No doubt she has quite a few remarkable awards in her kitty but her critics fairly outnumber them on any given day. She not only spiced up the stories but has literally cooked them up on occasions.

Shoma Chaudury is second-in-line from the top in Tehelka. It is unquestionable that she isn’t exposed to knowledge of all its resources. How Tehelka manages its high-priced, high-profile yearly event ThinkFest in Goa has always been a matter of question. No doubt how they run this magazine is equally viable one as well. General perception has always branded Tehelka as an unofficial mouthpiece of a leading political party. Now the speculation of Tejpal’s blood relation with a very high profile minister adds to the claim.

In a recent development Tejpal has asked for CBI inquiry in to the matter. I doubt has the views of Shoma Chaudhury for the CBI chief changed overnight, or Tejpal didn’t consult her over the issue. Whatever maybe the reason but there is obviously a different leadership in Goa and centre. Tejpal’s insistence to get case transferred from Goa police to CBI genuinely raises eyebrows. Impeccable Integrity of CBI in recent times is surely beyond doubt!

Ms. Shoma Chaudhury in this case you are going a bit too far as a role of managing-editor in Tehelka. Your job profile as managing editor surely didn’t included managing-for-the-editor. It is high time to realize your mistake and move on to the right side, maybe a six month sabbatical would do for it now. You are losing everything you have earned in these years besides money. As much as Tejpal is concerned howsoever hard you try now, the matter has gone out of your hand and the law would take its course.

And yes as much as your question was concerned, yes I am the aggrieved party in the same way as you and your colleagues have always been, in all these years, in all other cases. 

#Tehelka Abuse CBI Goa Shoma Chaudhury Tejpal Tejpal Sexual Assault Case

Mr. Tejpal- The Preaching Predator and the hollow values of tehelka!!!

It is today that I got to read the complete script of the victims’ complaint letter that she has sent to her boss, a proclaimed Women Activist Ms. Shoma Chaudhury. I was just stunned. There were not one but many things that shook my conscience, my thoughts and my vision.

I feel agitated and frustrated at the same time. Power has definitely corrupted people in every walk of life, but here the guilty is the one who earns his bread and butter by preaching probity. A person, who has indeed harnessed every fruit of democratic freedom to the full, couldn’t keep up with one simplest of his duties.

It is hard to reconcile the anger, knowing the fact that Mr. Tejpal is at the apical of the organisation which has violated every possible norms, trespassed work ethics and broke into the private spaces of people, all in the name of doing largesse for the society’s betterment. Now keeping him behind the bars would enrich the bourn.

When I finished reading the letter I could feel the torment of not one but two Girls. The second one is the victims’ friend who incidentally is also the culprit’s daughter. I wonder how she would have dealt with the two roles in the current situation.

I am flustered with the plight of the forthright victim.

Undoubtedly, the sufferer should be appreciated for all the professionalism she showed in dealing with this incident. She accomplished all duties bestowed upon her even between these tremors to her dignity. She didn’t wanted her boss to fire her up on the name of incompetence as an aftermath of the incident. The boss who while manhandling her tried to establish his dominance over her by shamelessly informing her that this was the easiest way for her to keep her job. This is the classic example of male chauvinist passing off their hard-on's need as the easy ones for others.

I am agitated because the father figure of the girl did prosaic acts with her and even dared to message her afterwards by writing THE FINGERTIPS, incidentally describing his fearlessness. That jerk even after this tried to lure her in to the room on the other day and when being failed in to it again tried things in the elevator.

What had he on his mind? How normal were these things for him that he was doing such things in between of conducting an event with high profile attendees such as Robert De Noir and Amitabh Bacchan?

Shouldn’t it be probed that are there any more girls whom he has violated before on the name of his power and position? I doubt at least the self-proclaimed pioneers of the investigative journalism wouldn’t dare to do so.

I am dejected because besides being an employee, the victim’s credentials of both being his friend’s daughter and his daughter’s friend, couldn’t save her from the nerd’s lust.

She rightfully informed Mr. Tejpal’s daughter, who according to the letter thrashed her father by telling him to keep it-in-his-pants. The agony of his daughters must be unbearable. The leech broke the ultimate faith in his lust.

I am anguished at the thought of remembering that Mr. Tejpal passed these things on as the Judgemental Error? Like what he wanted to indicate to? Using fingers because he couldn't unzip the fly, is this the judgement error?

I am frustrated to hear him wanting a penance. What does he thinks he has done, picked up his nose on the live TV or passed on the gas in some esteemed gathering? No bigot you have done an assault- assault amounting to 10 years in prison so stop masking behind this foolish act of charity. And his colleague Ms. Shoma thinks that his six months stepping down from the job would be more than enough. Oh, so he gets a leave and holiday for sexually harassing an employee? Does she even have a bit of idea what example is she creating?

Given her position she would have also been a 22 years old journalist sometime, it’s easier for her to understand the pain, the reluctance of the victim to fight and the necessity to look after her career at this stage. It would be better if Ms. Shoma instead of pushing the matter beneath the carpet, take up a stand, offer her shoulder to the victim and fight from her side for the justice she deserves.

And lastly I am agitated because I also want to be a journalist and have high regards for the profession and you have brought a bad name to it. You even though have huge contribution in the field in India but still it is much better off with no, not even a single person like you.

When preacher turns in to predator, the cage is the place to keep him in.

(image courtesy: Google image search)

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#Tehelka #Tejpal Justice Rape. Shame Tejpal Sexual Assault Case