Mukesh Khanna slammed on social media for comments about #MeToo movement
Mumbai: Veteran Mukesh Khanna, best known for playing superhero Shaktimaan and Bhishma Pitamaha in the television series "Mahabharata", has been criticized for his statement that the #MeToo movement began when women stepped out of their homes and started working.
The #MeToo movement started in Hollywood in 2017 after many women from the entertainment industry called out various powerful men for sexually harassing them, drawing focus on workplace safety.
A year later, it gathered momentum in Bollywood when actor Tanushree Dutta accused Nana Patekar of sexual harassment. Following this, many women in the Indian film industry came out to speak against the culture of a toxic work environment.
In a video clip from an interview given to a news channel, Khanna claimed that #MeToo movement happened because women tried "walking shoulder to shoulder with men".
"Men and women are different. The job of a woman is to take care of the house, pardon me as I say certain things. The problem of #MeToo began when women started working. Today, women talk about walking shoulder-to-shoulder with men," Khanna said.
The 62-year-old actor said both men and women have their own set of responsibilities.
"People talk about women's lib (liberation), but let me tell you that's where the problem begins. The first person who suffers is the child because he doesn't have a mother (around him at home), he sits and watches TV with his nanny all day.
"It all began when women started saying that they want to do what men do. No, a man is a man and a woman is a woman," he said.
Khanna's comments were met with sharp criticism from social media users.
A Twitter user said he regrets idolizing Khanna and called him a 'misogynist'.
"This man worked in 'Mahabharat' serial which had many female characters, his serial 'Shaktimaan' had Geeta Vishwas a female character.
"My mother is also a working woman and I proudly say that I am proud of my mother. I regret that I idealized him once. He's a misogynist," he said.
Another Twitter user, who has been an ardent fan of Khanna's popular show "Shaktimaan", expressed his disappointment over the actor's comments.
"Painfully realizing the fact that much precious time from my childhood went wasted on watching shaktiman serial," the user said.
"Shocking. Didn't expect this from Mr. Khanna. What is wrong with him. It's so unfortunate hearing this from such a senior actor who has been an Idol for many. Women too like men can choose a profession of their own choice Metoo is all about abuse of power irrespective of profession," read a tweet.
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Bengal: Over 55 pc turnout till 1 pm in repoll in 15 booths of 2 assembly seats
Kolkata (PTI): Over 55 per cent turnout was recorded till 1 pm in repoll in 15 booths of two assembly constituencies in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district on Saturday, an official said.
Voting was underway more or less peacefully at 11 polling stations of Magrahat Paschim assembly constituency and four in Diamond Harbour, where the EC ordered repoll a day ago, following reports of electoral malpractices.
However, at booth number 179 at Chanda Primary School of Diamond Harbour seat, the Trinamool Congress alleged that a specially abled voter and his mother were harassed by central forces. The alleged incident sparked protests by party workers and locals.
The TMC claimed that the voter's mother, who had entered the booth to assist him, and her son were detained for a considerable time by central forces over alleged rule violations.
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"TMC leaders Manmohini Biswas and Pratik Ur Rahman reached the spot and led the protests, with residents terming the action unwarranted harassment. The matter has been taken care of by our officials there," an official of the poll body said.
Polling was otherwise peaceful across 15 booths in the area, he added.
Voting began at 7 am and will continue till 6 pm, the official said, adding that till 1 pm, the turnout was 55.57 per cent.
Magrahat Paschim registered 56.33 per cent voter turnout, while in Diamond Harbour, it was 54.9 per cent, a poll official stated.
Voting in these two assembly constituencies was held in the second phase of the state elections on April 29.
The repoll order was based on reports received from returning officers and observers of the two constituencies and "material circumstances", the Election Commission official said.
In Magrahat Paschim, TMC's Md Samim Ahamed Molla is pitted against BJP nominee Goursundar Ghosh, while Abdul Majid Halder of the Congress and ISF candidate Abdul Aziz Al Hassan are also in the fray.
TMC candidate Panna Lal Halder is contesting against Dipak Kumar Halder of the BJP in the Diamond Harbour seat. Goutam Bhattacharya of the Congress and CPI(M)'s Samar Naiya are among other candidates.
The BJP had alleged rampant electoral malpractices in certain polling stations of both the assembly seats under the Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha constituency, which is represented by TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee.
The EC had deputed its special observer, Subrata Gupta, to fact-check the allegations from the ground.
The poll panel will decide on repolling in the Falta assembly constituency on Saturday.
The West Bengal assembly elections were held in two phases -- April 23 and April 29 -- amid unprecedented security arrangements.
Counting of votes will take place on May 4.
