DNA Edit: A glass half full – Despite closure of Tanushree’s complaint, it’s not over yet

The Mumbai Police submitted a closure report in the molestation case that Tanushree Dutta had filed due to lack of conclusive evidence to prove actor Nana Patekar guilty. The #MeToo storm hit India in 2018 and many survivors came out openly or covertly and talked about instances of sexual harassment that happened to them in the past. Notable among them were celebrities from the world of films, journalism, politics and the publishing world. Many idols’ feet of clay lay exposed threadbare — Nana Patekar, MJ Akbar, Rajat Kapoor, Utsav Chakraborty, Vikas Behl, Sajid Khan and Chetan Bhagat. However, in less than a year after a barrage of #MeToo allegations surfaced in public discourse through social media, a few cases met their penultimate conclusion. 

Many like Alok Nath managed to secure bail, and others like MJ Akbar claimed innocence. Rajat Kapoor was a rare case where he apologized publicly for his escapade. In many instances due to the survivor’s hesitance in pursuing the case in courts and in others the dubious distinction of delaying justice, allegations fizzled out before the perpetrators were punished. Despite less legal traction, feminist voices don’t find the situation so grim. They opine that the entire movement is a moment of celebration when in a repressed and hugely patriarchal Indian society women chose to come out against their oppressors. 

In many instances, the oppressors were known to the survivors, sometimes even from their immediate family. It took decades for some to express what was hidden in the deep recesses of their minds never to seek a release or find an expression. #MeToo gave these survivors the collective strength of endurance and expression besides creating enough ‘firewalls’ in the collective mindset of the society which gives currency to such predatory behaviour. The battle may have been half conquered but a cry has been raised for sure.