Mallika Dua said she supported the #MeToo movement but backed her father on charges against him.
Highlights
- Media veteran Vinod Dua has been accused of sexual misconduct
- Mallika Dua said even though it was his battle, she would "stand by him"
- Ms Dua also extended her support to the #MeToo movement
After media veteran Vinod Dua was named on the weekend in the #MeToo campaign, his daughter Mallika Dua, a popular face on social media, said she was in solidarity with the movement and supported the voices but added that even though it was not her battle to fight, she would "stand by" her father.
The Wire quoted Mr Dua, a consulting editor at the news website, as denying the allegations and said he will be releasing a statement soon.
Mallika Dua's statement on Instagram, addressed to documentary filmmaker Nishtha Jain who accused Vinod Dua of sexually harassing her almost three decades ago, opens with her endorsement of the movement in which she said, "If at all my father is truly guilty of what you described, it is unacceptable, traumatic and painful."
Ms Dua promises to stand up against bigotry, misogyny and stand up for survivors. "Nothing gets to kill my vibe," she added.
However, she lashed out at the filmmaker for dragging her into the matter which she said was "in terrible taste" and then asked "everyone else" to "stop forcing women to give statements for your entertainment".
"This is NOT my battle to fight. It is not MY responsibility, my shame or my burden. I will deal with this my way on my time," she wrote.
She wrapped the post by saying she would not let objectives, ideals and purpose be hijacked by shamers.
Nishtha Jain alleges that the journalist used to stalk her. The filmmaker recalled how Vinod Dua blasted Akshay Kumar for his sexist remarks on her daughter Mallika.
She wrote, "When I read about his outrage against Akshay Kumar's sexist words to his daughter Malika Dua, I said to myself he's obviously forgotten that he was no less sexist, no less misogynist, no less creepy a sexual harasser, potential rapist. If he did to me, I'm sure he would have done it to other women. Today, he does programmes explaining (to) the world what constitutes sexual harassment. He should stop everything and look into his own shady past."
The accuser, however, apologised to Mallika Dua and said: "Sorry, if I have inadvertently shamed Mallika Dua. I had no such intention. Thanks for friends and supporters for pointing this out. She's in no way responsible for her father's acts. However, I do hope she'll be able to believe me, empathise with me as well as the other women he has harassed," she wrote on Facebook.
But in the next post she said "the daughter will stand by her predator father. Wife will stand by her predator husband. Bloodlines run deeper than #MeToo".
Vinod Dua has in the past served as a part-time consultant with NDTV. NDTV ended its association with him in 2013.
Acting on the allegations, The Wire has issued a statement that the internal complaints committee (ICC) has taken note and, "We await the outcome of their deliberations (the committee) in the matter".
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