Sonu Nigham while speaking at the Agenda Aaj Tak 2018, defended Anu Malik and said that we respect accusers even without proof, but it is not the other way round.
Earlier this year following the #MeToo movement, Anu Malik was accused of sexual harassment by Shweta Pandit and Sona Mohapatra following which two more survivors opened up on their horrific experiences with the Bollywood singer.
“If you say, ‘Anu Malik met me this morning’, that’s fine. You accused him without any proof; let’s accept that too. Had he [Anu Malik] wanted to say anything, he could have said a lot. But he did not. If I say that you misbehaved with me, you will ask me for proof. But there’s no proof, right? Despite that, people are respecting the accusers, who are tarnishing Anu Malik’s name. But how can you ban him? How can you snatch his bread and butter? How can you torture his family,” said Sonu Nigham while defending Anu Malik.
“The torture, harassment, can happen anywhere. It happens in the corporate world too. You have accused him, you have shamed him; now don’t punish his family. Get proof first,” said the singer.
Now right after Sonu Nigam’s comment, Singer Sona Mohapatra has criticised him for backing Mr Malik, she Tweeted,
So much sympathy for a millionaire losing work? So much empathy for his privileged family being ‘tortured’?How about the scores of girls & women he tortured?Multiple testimonies not proof enough?
“Sonu Nigam backs Anu Malik on #MeToo: Where is the proof?” https://t.co/xGajdQQfT8— Sona Mohapatra (@sonamohapatra) December 19, 2018