If Breaking News ‘ Shine Ahuja accused of rape’ is the current favorite of television channels, always hot in pursuit of sensational bytes that may help transmogrify their vapid fare post election, its no surprise, when little seems to catch the viewers fancy.
My reaction..disbelief> cynical wave off> piqued to know the truth and nothing but the truth. Somehow frenzied hurling of invectives at an accused, categorical accusation blatantly vitriolic, a tendency such as this is avoided stubbornly. One cannot live with the guilt of having jumped the gun even before the courts verdict of indictment and uncaringly irresponsibly, insensitively go hammer and tongs at our fellow beings. It speaks poorly of our humanistic attributes,. Lets not be the first to cast stones..but the last.
At the outset, I confess that somehow this episode leaves me in serious doubt. Why would Shiney Ahuja, a strikingly handsome male actor, much in demand bon ton in Bollywood, with a wife and one year old daughter at home, resort to such brutality with a maid? It seems preposterous. Overpowering lust if the culprit I am sure would have been satisfied by a million other outlets.
Pointers that lead to serious analysis before swallowing as gospel media reports from the same sources who not so long ago were munificent in lavishing praise and now with equal ferocity denigrate the man, are quite a few to ignore.
Lets ponder a bit on this bit of information and not skim over it.
Sources also said Shiney had on June 13 tried to approach the victim for a sexual relationship, but she declined.
The victim was working in Shiney’s household for almost two months. She used to work from 9 am to 6 pm on a salary of Rs 4,000. Shiney had employed a cook and peon too.
Why would the maid continue to work in a household where she felt threatened by the man of the house? If it was money and her compulsions that compelled her to stick on then its imperative to keep in mind this further bit of information which was telecast yesterday. Anu Ahuja, Shineys wife averred that the maid was going to be sacked and therefore this ploy.
A salary of Rs 4000 for only cleaning and sweeping in a household of two members with a cook looking after the kitchen, was definitely no sneezing money for her. Supposing she had been maliciously advised by her Uncle (who accompanied her) or whoever to concoct and machinate this entire episode? Is there any lack of ruses for desperate seekers in India?
Oh we can be the most creative in selling our souls for money. Ask the tabloid editors and gossip mongers.Is their commitment to tear apart peoples reputations and personal lives at their whims, any less a crime than rape?
Diversions done with.. what about police medical reports. I dont know of the exact time that elapsed between the maid leaving the house and reaching the police station. For arguments sake lets assume it to be three hours or so.. Keeping in mind the fact that there may have been an agenda could not this have been managed in the time?
By no stretch of imagination should my post be taken as one that is in defense of Shiney Ahuja. I dont know him from Adam. Have seen him just once at a social do and had heard millions of stories about his high handed and snooty approach towards one and all.
But that is no reason to condemn a man without giving him the benefit of the doubt especially in the light of the fact that besides the girls evidence there is little that is in favour of accusing him. An important adjunct to casting aspersions is always a sense of personal instincts and sense of fairness. Mine dont permit me to go ballistic in throwing accusations with cynical rancor. No.
We have courts in India..let the judges earn their livelihood while we earn ours by minding our lives. If this turns out to be true then another post will follow. Meanwhile I think the man is passing through a really dark phase as is his family.
I shudder to think what his daughter will have to go through as an adult. Will she have to bear the cross? Personally, I am not inclined to put in a nail on a crucifixion until and unless the culprit is proven so without a shadow of doubt. Lets not unwittingly be culprits over an issue which may border on untruth. Lets not make such behaviour the leit motif of our actions. We can leave that to the media. They are the professionals and masters of the game 🙂
Sachiniti 
I truly agee with this article
Comment by Bee — June 16, 2009 @ 1:39 pm |
Good on you Bee 🙂 Your heart is in the right place.
Comment by Kaveetaa Kaul — June 16, 2009 @ 3:04 pm |
Well said Kaveetaa ji.!! Frankly i have a confession to make. the last few days me and my wife have spent in cursing bollywood, actors, the lack of morals in the industry and so on. your perspective has made me think. We love to beleive the media and that is why they feel they have power. I agree with you and it has made me think. Why not give him the benefit of the doubt. Although let me tell you I know of men who always have a fancy for their maids..it numbs me but such do exist. But these are not those who have access to women such as Shiny may have. So yes there is a point there.
Comment by Krishnan — June 16, 2009 @ 2:01 pm |
Stereotyping is a natural trait Krishnan. Glad this post made you re assess your opinion. You have made a valid point.
The connection between our belief in the media and their subsequent power play. Its time that we voice our disgust at their projected omnipotence. Not limited to this case where the veracity is yet under a cloud. yet even on Sachiniti I have written often on the media and its role in manipulating truth.
Comment by Kaveetaa Kaul — June 16, 2009 @ 3:07 pm |
Be it Shiney or anyone else,we must allow the law to take it’s own course.I find it a bit difficult to make sense of this episode.But,the fact is that there is a lady who has complained.Blowing any news out of proportion is what the media is hungry about.Just imagine,a small time actor gets breaking news coverage…repeatedly ..on TV.I f nothing else,they should be concerned about his family,his proffession.his reputation.Media should stop such reactions and should wait for some credible information before jumping the Q
Comment by B K CHOWLA — June 16, 2009 @ 2:50 pm |
Absolutely Chowla ji. Media ought to have a self censor module. They have no business to lurk around police sations in hunt for a story.
We all know that filing a complaint in India is the simplest thing ever. How can that be proof of guilt? Media ought to wait for a substantive set of evidences before going public with the story.
I remember some time back a niece in Delhi had accused her uncle of rape. Apparently this girl was brought up by him. The media went to town with the story. The Uncle was shattered at the loss of reputation and committed suicide. It was soon brought to light that this was plan hatched by a cousin to usurp his property and the girl was involved.
It pains me to even remember the episode. Media channels ought to have telelcast a public apology as in the case of the innocent school teacher who was accused of selling girls.
Lack of ethics in media is the curse of our country!!
Comment by Kaveetaa Kaul — June 16, 2009 @ 3:13 pm |
Somehow,I have started getting a feeling that the media now is fully under control of some lobbies and look for sensationism for TRPs.It is a shame
Comment by B K CHOWLA — June 17, 2009 @ 9:58 am |
Any source that has the power to alter public opinion or shape it is definitely going to be one that will finally debase into corruption. Media falls in the same category. It is a well known fact that newspapers, tabloids, even gossip magazines have their secret sponsors who use them to further their interests, ALL media channels are sold. The unsuspecting viewer has to now grow mature horns and sift the chaff from the wheat. It will be stupid of us to take whatever is doled out as Gods truth. Nothing is. The present state of heads of channels is more or less like a person teethering on the edge of hell.
Comment by Kaveetaa Kaul — June 17, 2009 @ 10:38 am |
shiney is such a bastard.celebritis should be more responsible for their duties as normally people are inspired by them.D.N.A reports has come.so there is no doubt about the news.shiney should be punished for whatever he did.Noone gave rights to celebrity to do whatever they want. I am with the poor maid. God bless her !!!
Comment by suhana — June 30, 2009 @ 2:45 pm |
Kwell i think the Maid now has filed the case cuz of money. but even there is mistake of shiney that he got involved.
Comment by Farah — August 11, 2009 @ 11:12 am |
I am equally intrigued by both sides of this story – what happened finally?
Comment by ravinderbhan — February 2, 2010 @ 9:57 pm |
Shiney is presently out on bail. His lawyers have asked for the DNA report which seems to be the mainstay of the prosecution. The defense has been stating that the report proves that Shiney is innocent. Who knows? Let us wait and see.
Comment by Kaveetaa Kaul — February 5, 2010 @ 6:34 pm |