Twitter slams Monali Thakur for defending Papon; says this is why #MeToo will never kick-off in B-Town

Singer Monali Thakur faced severe criticism on social media for backing singer Papon after a video of him kissing a minor girl on a reality television show triggered massive controversy and questioned the safety of minors participating in such shows.

Soon after the singer faced massive criticism by several on social media, Thakur took to Twitter to say, “I got so many calls yesterday for this ridiculous misinterpretation of a man’s gesture of affection! I am a girl n I know what is sexual perversion in a man! And Papon is anything but that! Leave aside for a kid! (sic)”.

Not taking kindly to Thakur’s statement, people criticised her, stating that her comments was the primary reason why the #MeToo movement never took off in Bollywood.

This is why a #MeToo moment can never happen in bollywood as here the stereotype women vs women is so profound

— Mehak Agarwal (@MehakAgarwal12) February 24, 2018

Wow ! Such a shame that you are defending the incident and brushing it aside !

— PriyaForParsh (@Priya_bluebird) February 24, 2018

Smame on you folks for blatantly defending molestation...I m sure that the affected girl is being pressurised by the channel to defend him... shame on dirty Bollywood lobby

— Vijay Kumar (@VickyBindas) February 24, 2018

Wow..
Have you even seen the video?@paponmusic paponwas shoked on seeing Facebook live was still ON. He then gestured to cut the video.
Please tell me why he got so afraid.
Also we all know what kind of people takes advantage of girls while playing holi.
Papon is no other kind.

— Ankit kushwah (@ankykush) February 24, 2018

but he needs to acknowledge that , young girls cannot be kissed on the lips by men like that, its a misdemeanor at the least.

— SUNIL J RAO (@shilpasunil_rao) February 24, 2018

That looked perverted and a gesture of lust! Maybe being in the industry changed your sense of boundaries but for a normal person that's sexual abuse! You can do better than defending a man like that.

— Moni (@BooshMoni) February 24, 2018

On Friday, a Supreme Court lawyer had filed a complaint with the National Commission for Protection of Child Right after Papon uploaded a video on his Facebook page, where he is seen kissing the minor contestant of the show.

In the video, which has since gone viral, Papon is seen celebrating Holi with the contestants of the show and planting a kiss on the girl's face.

Meanwhile, the Assam police have registered an FIR against singer Papon for kissing a minor contestant of a reality TV show during a Facebook live session. The Assam State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (ASCPCR) filed a complaint against Papon with the Guwahati police commissioner.

"We have registered an FIR based on the complaint. Charges have been framed under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act," Assistant Commissioner of Police (Dispur) Sujit Saikia told PTI

Asked if the singer will be summoned, Saikia said the police would investigate the matter according to the procedure.

Earlier, ASCPCR chairperson Sunita Changkakati said it urged the police commissioner to consider Papon's act under the POCSO Act and take action.

The ASCPCR also sought action against other crew members like camera persons, who were present during shooting of the show, Changkakati added.