Chennai: Even as the anger continued to rage wide against its national secretary H.Raja for his uncivilised attack on DMK Rajya Sabha member Kanimozhi, the beleaguered BJP in Tamil Nadu got another hit as its prominent member S.Ve.Shekher shared a post containing horribly derogatory references to women journalists.
As social media and journalists’ organisations erupted in anger against the post on Thursday, the film-stage comedian quickly removed the post and tendered an apology that read as disgusting as the offensive post itself — he claimed he had “by mistake” posted on his facebook a message forwarded by one Thirumalai, and did so “without reading the content” and the act was “unintentional”.
“I do not endorse the views expressed in it. I come from a family that respects women & the women journalists. If I had hurt anyone in the very few minutes that post (was on), it was not on purpose & my heartfelt apology”, said Shekher in a statement on Friday.
The statement did not stop with just that apology but also delivered a left-handed punch at his detractors. “I am surprised how people, who are now spreading the screen shot/photoshop of the deleted post do not find it offensive”, said Shekher, who was AIADMK legislator during 2006-11.
Shekher's apology did not douse the fury among the journalists and women rights activists. Several of them gathered outside his Mandaiveli house chanting slogans and some even pelted stones at the building.
The big gates had been closed and Shekher was not in the house. None was injured. Police detained 27 of the protesters and released them later.
Angry journalists and activists had demonstrated earlier at the BJP state headquarters demanding that the party take action against Shekher.
They waved placards that demanded that the 'vitriol' against media must stop. "No more vitriol. #Boycottshekher," one placard read, while another urged women in the BJP to "speak up."
State BJP president Dr Tamilisai Sounderarajan did not endear herself to the scribes when she merely smiled and moved away when they repeatedly asked her if the party would take action against Shekher. But then what could the poor lady do when there's already a similar public demand pending against the party's national secretary H. Raja's nasty comment targeting DMK's Kanimozhi?
The party's silence, at least for now, may not help Shekher too long as senior state minister D.Jayakumar has promised to "throw him in jail" if anyone complains. Already, the Nellai journalists union has moved a local court with a defamation case and more are said to be in the pipeline.
"Shekher's is definitely a defamatory facebook post and his excuse that he did not read it before posting it only makes it worse. It does not absolve him of the consequences", said leading lawyer and activist Sudha Ramalingam. Shekher's post, albeit the claim that it was merely a careless forward, followed the 'patgate' row involving Governor Banwarilal Purohit.
The 78-year-old governor had patted a woman journalist on the cheek at the end of his press conference at Raj Bhavan earlier this week and when she tweeted her protest, apologised saying his 'grandfatherly act was only in appreciation of her good question.
Will jail Raja and Shekher: Minister
Senior minister D. Jayakumar on Friday said the government would take criminal action against S.Ve.Shekher if anyone lodges complaint. “I am telling you, you all must go and complain. If you complain, we will throw him in jail. Definitely we will. Nobody is complaining. You must raise voice when there is attack on society, on women and threat to democracy. You must not keep quiet, you must have the determination to fight”, he told reporters.
“If he (Shekher) is a cyber psycho, (H) Raja is another cyber psycho. Both these cyber psychos are a curse for Tamil Nadu; they are publicity maniacs. Raja today attacked our CM and we will certainly not take that lightly. The government will launch prosecution against him. And so if you complain, we will definitely throw both of them in jail”, the minister said, adding, “All are equal before law. Does Raja have horns on his head to speak as he likes?”
