‘MeToo movement beginning of a wrong practice’: BJP MP Udit Raj backs Nana Patekar

The #MeToo movement in India is a “wrong practice” as it is not possible to verify old allegations of sexual harassment, said BJP MP Udit Raj Tuesday, expressing support for actor Nana Patekar who has been accused by actress Tanushree Dutta of molesting her in 2008. He also alleged that there are cases of some women using it for blackmail.

“The #MeToo campaign is necessary but what is the meaning of accusing someone of sexual harassment after 10 years? After years how can it be possible to verify the facts of the events?

“It must also be considered that it can ruin the image of the person who has been accused. It is the beginning of a wrong practice,” the Bharatiya Janata Party MP from northwest Delhi said in a series of tweets in Hindi, reported IANS.

“While the Metoo campaign is helping it is also doing causing damage. Men have financial as well as political powers. Men have started avoiding meeting women alone.. Be it politicians or officials. Why? There is terror. Therefore it should be on a case-by-case basis.

“There are many cases which have come to me in which there are women who are habituated to this. They take Rs 2-4 lakhs and then they leave. Then they pick up some others. They steal, they blackmail. Aren’t there cases of honey trapping?” Raj told ANI news agency.

“I admit that it is in the nature of men but are women perfect? We should talk it in the Indian context. I am repeating that if someone has exploited, shoot them,” he said.

Raj said that he had raised his voice about the misuse of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, the Dowry Act and others, and said “can’t this (Metoo) be misused?”.

His remarks came after Tanushree in an interview in September, in the context of the #MeToo Movement and sexual harassment of women in Bollywood, spoke out of her personal experience at the hands of Patekar on the set of “Horn ‘OK’ Pleassss” in 2008.

Last week, Tanushree also filed a written complaint at the Oshiwara police station in Mumbai.

“Nana Patekar’s behaviour was inappropriate towards me, he was on the set despite the fact that his work in the song was over. He grabbed me by the arm and pushed me towards him around on the pretext of teaching me how to dance,” read one part of the complaint.

On his part, Nana has consistently denied the accusation. In 2008 too, he had held a press conference to dismiss the allegations. Last week, on being confronted by the media, he said he had answered the questions about it 10 years ago. “Jhooth toh jhooth hi hai (a lie is a lie),” he said.