Best-selling author Chetan Bhagat on Monday dismissed fellow writer Ira Trivedi’s claims of sexual harassment as “motivated, fake attacks” and described them as “abhorrent” which he said could hamper the #MeToo movement.
Responding to the allegations, Bhagat tweeted the screenshot of an e-mail sent to him by Trivedi on October 25, 2013 to establish his claims.
Bhagat said Trivedi's e-mail was self-explanatory and shows that her claims from 2010 are false. He said the “mental harassment” of him and his family must stop even as he urged Trivedi not to harm a movement with fake charges.
In a series of tweets, Bhagat said more allegations could be heaped on him by “Trivedi's friends, well-wishers and others” and asked people not to believe such nonsense.
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Calling Trivedi's charges part of a “smear campaign”, Bhagat said a person’s reputation is their most prized asset and takes a lifetime of work to earn, adding these motivated, fake attacks on him is abhorrent and the sickest thing a person can do.
Bhagat says he is not a vindictive person. More than anything he just wants him and his family to be left alone and people to ignore fake charges.
On Saturday, Trivedi had shared her experience with Bhagat and Suhel Seth on different occasions almost a decade ago.
Trivedi had alleged that Bhagat had tried to kiss on her lips after inviting her for tea at the India International Centre.
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Bhagat also shared a YouTube video of Trivedi's book launch ceremony in 2015-16 and asked who called their harasser as chief guest for their book launch?
