‘I’m being vilified’: Author Chetan Bhagat’s second take on #MeToo

Author Chetan Bhagat, who posted an apology on Facebook after an unnamed woman accused him of sexual harassment, today pushed back with another post stressing that “I am not a harasser”. In the post, the author says, “In the garb of the #MeToo movement, which definitely has genuine cases, I am being attacked and vilified.”

Over the weekend, Chetan Bhagat’s name appeared on a Twitter thread where several women were sharing their #MeToo stories. A woman journalist shared a WhatsApp chat on social media after which the best-selling author came up with an apology and “a couple of points about the screenshots”.

In the screenshots shared, Bhagat said “Maybe I was going through a phase, maybe these things just happen, or maybe I felt the person felt the same too based on our conversations (which I don’t need to repeat here). However, it was stupid of me, to feel that way and to even share that with her.”

In today’s post, Bhagat said:“I want you to know that I am suffering because my name is being dragged into needless controversies, and my family and I are being harassed. In the garb of the #MeToo movement, which definitely has genuine cases, I am being attacked and vilified. Let me tell you upfront – I am not a harasser. Never was, never will be.”

The author, in his post, also mentioned how difficult the past few days have been for his family.

“Please bear in mind that baseless allegations like these affect my wife, my 70-year-old mother, my elderly in-laws and my teenage twin sons. Each of them suffer in their own way,” said Bhagat.

Bhagat mentions that “everyone who had a grudge against me (and, you know, plenty do on Twitter) to have a go at me. Kick a man when he is low, classy right?”

He ended his post by saying, “I am going to move on from this and ignore the noise.”

First Published: Oct 10, 2018 20:00 IST