AN OPEN LETTER TO MR.RANGARAJ PANDE, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, THANTHI TV

AN  OPEN LETTER 

TO MR.RANGARAJ PANDE, 

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, 

THNATHI TV

I have always thought of you as a sensible and sensitive anchor Mr.Pandey. but, today the way you interviewed Ms.Chinmayi proved me wrong.

Throughout that one hour interview you had just one question to ask - 'Why hadn't she spoken about it earlier. True, it is a valid question, but, to harp on that one question throughout the interview was coarse and cruel. and, you went on insisting that some woman would just like that name somebody as predator just to shame him, fully overlooking the fact that Ms.Chinmayi has named just this one man in the whole lot of the industry and that any woman naming any man does not have easy acceptance in the society and it would become more detrimental to the woman in question, as things stand today.

you could have asked a lot of meaningful questions like the impact of such psychological burden on a woman, how she can overcome it, what is the role of family in this, along with the redressal cell on the guidelines of Visaka committee what more support systems should be there for the protection of women in their work places and outside.... I can go on and on. But you chose to play the role of defense lawyer arguing the case of Mr.Vairamuthu, all the while insisting that you were not doing so. sad indeed.

THE AFFECTED WOMAN IN QUESTION ACCUSES A BIGWIG AND SAYS THAT HE HAD BEEN USING THE NAME OF A POLITICAL PARTY CHIEF BY WAY OF INTIMIDATING. BUT THE PARTY CONCERNED WHICH HAS WOMEN'S WING AND WORLD RENOWNED WOMEN WRITERS  PREFERS TO KEEP MUM AND NO CHANNEL INCLUDING YOURS FEELS LIKE CALLING THOSE VOCIFEROUS WOMEN IN THAT PARTY TO SPEAK ON THIS ISSUE. SAD INDEED.

Mr.Pandey, you went on asking Ms.Chinmayi, in the manner of cornering her, on the prospect of someone accusing some man just like that and repeatedly brought in your name wondering what if anyone mentions your name just like that as an offender? Imagine me to be the anchor and you the guest. What if I ask, “Why do you keep harping on this possibility? Has anyone mentioned your name as an offender? Why the preemptive mood?' As a guest, how would these questions make you feel? I really want to know.

The oft-repeated question to the victims of sexual harassment at the workplace:

1)WHY DIDN’T YOU REPORT ABOU IT THEN AND THERE?

2)WHY HAVE YOU TAKEN SO LONG TO COME OUT AND SPEAK ABOUT IT?

I have also asked it. But, as a woman I am also able to arrive at some answers:
Young age and the vulnerability associated with it.

WHY DIDN’T YOU REPORT ABOUT IT THEN AND THERE?

·      The Fear of losing one’s job.

·      The fear of facing threats, slander.

·      Lack of support system, both in the family and in the society.

·      The wish to get along with life, with the hope that the world is not full of predators and the hope that one would be able to push the traumatic experience(s) off one’s mind and life.

WHY SPEAKING ABOUT IT NOW?

·      Attaining maturity to reviewing things and deciding what to do with them on your own.

·      Reaching a stage and position where one would be in a position to handle the resulting slander, threat and what not.

·      Better support system in family and society.

·      The realization that however much one tried one couldn’t just bury the trauma and get along with life.

·      The unbearable rage that the affected person feels on seeing the predator held in high esteem in the society and posing as a gentleman, luring more and more hapless women into his trap and with all that leading the life with absolutely no regret for what he has done and what he is doing.

·LAST BUT NOT THE LEAST, THE VICTIM SPEAKING ABOUT HER TRAUMA AND ABOUT THE OFFENDER CAN BE THE FACT THAT HE IS STILL AFTER HER, HOUNDING HER, HARRASSING HER.

As the Fourth Pillar of Society the Media, especially the Tamil TV Channels, though they are directly or indirectly owned and controlled by this or that political party, should concentrate on highlighting the issues that hold back the victims of sexual harassment from reporting it, instead of posing questions to the victims in highly intimidating manner. SAD INDEED.

latha ramakrishnan