MANKEKA Gandhi Hails Me Too Movement In India
AS more and more people are siding with Jamshedpur born model turned actor Tanushree Dutta who has alleged sexual harassment by noted actor Nana Patekar ,Union Minister For Women and Child Development Maneka Gandhi has appreciated the women who have come forward against sexual harassment in the film world. “I am happy that it has started in India and hoped it would not go “out of control” in the sense that it should not target people who offend others “in some way”.”There is a MeToo campaign that has started and I am very happy that it has started. And I hope that it doesn’t go out of control in the sense that we target people who offend us in some way,” she said. “But on the whole I think the women are responsible, the anger in the sexual molestation never goes away,” she said, adding that one would always remember the person who did it.”And this is why we have taken steps and written to the Law Ministry saying that the complains should be without any time limit. “Please remember that you can now raise as we have interpreted it, complain about it 10 years later or 15 years later, it never matters how much later. If you are going to complain the avenue is still open,” she added. Actor turned entrepreneur Shilpa Shetty has suggested that women speak about their harassment but not under the hashtag ‘MeToo’ but ‘YouToo’ as it is the men who are at fault. Shilpa applauded Tanushree Dutta for speaking up about the alleged harassment she faced from Nana Patekar on a film’s set ten years ago and said it has kick-started a movement.”In any milieu, actors, entrepreneurs, the working environment should feel safe. That should be a prerequisite. This entire movement which has been initiated by Tanushree Dutta, my heart goes out to her, as a woman and on a human level because something like this was brushed under the carpet,” Shilpa told a TV channel. Patekar has denied the allegations of sexual harassment and sent legal notice to her.Bollywood biggie Shilpa Shetty said women should not feel weak or blame themselves and should rather be strong today.”We don’t know the nitty gritties of the goings on but it has kick-started a movement. People have suffered. It’s time women wake up and take charge. It shouldn’t be hashtag MeToo, it should be YouToo, for the men. It’s shouldn’t be the women, cowing down and saying oh #MeToo,” she added. Meanwhile,Tanushree has filed a complaint against Patekar in Mumbai Police Station.