Claiming that the Indian media is on trial in Tarun Tejpal case, BJP today sought to know if the victim will be pressurised not to file a case as the Tehelka editor has connections with Congress and wondered if "secular philandering" is to be handled differently.
Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley said the Indian media is on trial in this case as no legal action has been initiated against Tejpal "for what amounts to rape under the amended laws".
"The grievance of the citizens' movement after the gangrape of Nirbhaya in Delhi was that sexual assaults are always under reported. Is this what is happening in this case? Just because the assailant has connections in Congress party, the nation is deprived of the sage advise of P Chidambram, the caustic comments of Kapil Sibal and the exaggerated tweets of Manish Tiwari," Jaitley said.
He took further digs at Tewari who had tweeted against Narendra Modi from Goa during his trip there for the International Film Festival of India yesterday. Tejpal had allegedly molested the journalist in Goa ten days back.
"Manish Tiwari was in Goa recently. He discovered Hitler there. What a pity that he could not discover a serial rapist in Goa. Additionally, we will all wait if the outrage in the media is proportionate to the offence. Or will journalistic pressures be brought on the young journalist to conceal the truth?" Jaitley said.
Tejpal, the founder editor of Tehelka, was behind the sting in 2001 in which then BJP President Bangaru Laxman was caught on camera accepting a bribe.
"May be secular philandering is to be dealt with a different standard. We all wait to see if the young lady testifies to the truth or not," Jaitley said.
Insisting that the Tejpal case is in a different league altogether, the BJP leader posed several questions.
"Why was the offence not allowed to be reported forthwith? Were any pressures brought on the victim not to lodge a complaint? How can an offence of rape be compromised by an atonement that the guilty will not attend office for six months?" Jaitley said.
