Let The Law Decide If Rhea Is Guilty; This Is Not The Job Of The Media

If Rhea Chakraborty is guilty, she deserves punishment. But if she is innocent, who among these journos, politicians, memers, social media judges will apologize for the dirt they have thrown around?

You often see me writing on women’s health and nutrition because that happens to be my forte. But today as a woman, I am compelled to write this article that solely talks about how easily a woman is judged in our society.

Yes, I’m going to talk about the witch hunting that our media is doing currently.

We can judge a woman for everything, right from her clothes, her education, the way she talks, the way she walks, the way she behaves, for her relationships, so on and so forth.

Is this really journalism?

My sole purpose of penning this article is the filthy, appalling journalism undertaken to give justice to Sushant Singh Rajput.

I admired Sushant Singh Rajput for his acting skills and for coming this far. Believe it or not, thousands of aspiring actors are trying hard to make a mark in whichever possible way they can, and SSR was blessed and extremely lucky to have achieved it all in a short period. He was hard-working, passionate, ambitious, intelligent, and a guy who believed in living his dreams. So many people could relate and resonate with his struggles. And, his death came as a shock to every Indian.

Post his death, came in a surge of allegations that surrounded his recent girlfriend Rhea. The Indian media went bonkers over the revelations and then, started a Media Trial that not only engulfed Rhea but her entire family too. Then started the process of labeling her a vamp, gold-digger, killer, murderer, witch, vish-kanya (I am sure they would never label a man vish-purush), druggist, drug peddler, jadugarni,….

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Memes are being made, cameramen are zooming in to her house to see what she and family have been doing, the food delivery guy delivering food to Rhea’s house is being questioned, journos are harassing her father and brother for a statement, standing outside her house and questioning her neighbours, so on and so forth.

Who has a right to pronounce judgement?

Firstly, who decides whether she is the culprit or no? Has the CBI issued a statement saying the same? Have all the allegations against her proven, right? Has she confessed to any of the allegations put forth? And most important of all, how many of us know about her as a person or her equation with Sushant?

Who gives us the right to comment on a woman’s character with so much ease? How many of us can stay strong and face the police, ED, CBI? How many of us know the truth behind all those allegations?

These are questions that we need to ask ourselves! This clearly shows that it is easy to label a woman and pour out filth about her based on the allegations that have come to the forefront but haven’t been proven yet.

Everybody on social media is busy painting a picture about her, calling her names, making memes on her, and her character even without knowing the truth behind her relationship with Sushant. Even more shocking is that most of the women journos are at the forefront of mud-slinging and name-calling.

Let the courts decide, not kangaroo courts

As it has been rightly said, Feminism isn’t biological, it is ideological. The idea of putting down a woman and giving her names is not new. As Indian society, we have been doing it every day, just so that women feel ashamed of their existence.

As far as Rhea is concerned, she has stayed strong through the media trial and no one knows whether she is the culprit or no. Everybody has been shooting on air and coming to conclusions just to suit their agendas. Why can’t we sit down and let the judiciary take its course? Why is a social media trial or media trial required and how does a keyboard warrior benefit out of it?

All I’d say is, if she is guilty, she deserves punishment. If all the allegations are true, she should face it.

However, if she is innocent, how many of these journos, politicians, memers, social media judges apologize for all the dirt they have thrown around? How many of them would feel sorry for reporting crap in the name of the news?

I believe by the time this case reaches its end, Rhea may no longer have a career, her family would be looked down upon, and the mental torture would haunt her every single day and so much more. However, none of us would understand the level of anxiety she or her family is facing and the amount of shaming they are going through even without being announced guilty.

A strong woman is always a witch, right?

(#SarcasmAlert)

All in all, it is easy to label a woman and drag her down to a point where she cannot rise again, but only time would tell what’s the truth behind everything.

I hope and pray no woman has to hear, ‘’Tere jaisi aurat kisi ko naa mile.” (let no one get a woman like you).

To end this, as a woman I am horrified and appalled to see a young woman being harassed and victimized even without being convicted of all the allegations thrown at her. What pains the most is, this is being done by many people of the same gender too and they fail to realize the harm they are inflicting on to someone and their mental health. We talk about mental health but don’t take a minute before we destroy someone else’s mental health to satisfy our egos and agendas. It’s thoughtless, and a clear portrayal of enviousness.

In all, I am not trying to glorify that women cannot commit a mistake or be involved in crimes. Laws are the same for all, be it men or women. However, announcing someone guilty even without the judiciary concluding is shameful and purely pathetic!

Every person should be given a chance to prove his or her point and in Rhea’s case, she deserves a fair trial! Period.

Editors’ note: This is a developing story and the piece is about the media trial and hounding, not any parties’ guilt/innocence which would be decided by the courts.

Image source: YouTube

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