The girl in the alleged ‘sex CD’ is not a minor. No report of harassment or assault has been registered – then, why is there so much outrage and character assassination?
Hardik Patel, one of the most discussed names in Gujarat politics, is again in the news owing to an alleged ‘sex CD’ that is making the rounds of social media networks. The time of the release of this ‘sex CD’ is more significant as the state is inching towards the assembly elections, where all eyes are set on Hardik Patel and his brand of politics.
The alleged ‘sex CD’ has nothing more than a man (supposedly Hardik Patel) in his shorts with a girl in a hotel room. Hardik Patel, who is the convenor of the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti, soon came under public scrutiny – and questions were raised about his ability as a leader.
It is an open secret that this controversy will have a major impact in determining the votes and ultimately the outcome of the polls. Whether this portrayal of Hardik and the questioning of his calibre and his personality has been done intentionally or not is something that will only be answered by looking at the electoral gains.
We live in a place where having pre-marital sex (or even being in a relationship) is often believed to be against our cultural values and traditions. Furthermore, it is a place where the concepts of marital rape and consent don’t even seem to exist. Perhaps, it’s time we understood that individuals have the right to have post- or pre-marital sex, depending upon the mutual consent of the partners.
Though many people are asking questions about Hardik’s morality and his responsibility, unfortunately, almost nobody has dared to question the act of capturing a person’s private moments and infringing their privacy in the process. Is having consensual sex a bigger crime than invading someone’s privacy and defaming them? Who filmed it and how? Many responsible media channels, instead of raising a point about the breach of privacy, are more interested in the character assassination of an individual.
According to a report in The Times of India, Patel tweeted that “Gujarat’s voters don’t want to see a (CD of) a 22-year-old boy, they want to see a CD on whether there has been any development in the state in the last 22 years”. He blamed the circulation of the ‘sex clips’ on the BJP, and said that it had infringed on his privacy.
Undoubtedly, the upcoming Gujarat election is not only a test for the BJP stronghold in the state – it will also decide the fortune and destiny of Hardik Patel’s political career, which is yet to start.
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