In today’s social media landscape, the threat that journalists and advocates face today has been largely obfuscated by the false positive that writers are removed from danger. Contrary to perceptions, the danger has never been closer to young writers and journalists across industries and mediums.
Sexual harassment and sexual assault have become more prevelant than ever, with 1 in 3 (popularly contested to be 1 in 2) women having experienced sexual harassment, molestation or sexual assault. Rather than take measurable steps to clarify the workspace, many individuals who have made women uncomfortable in the workplace and classroom have found voices in other arenas, thereby laundering their bad conduct.
Enter Meghnad Bose who, at the age of thirty five years old, traveled to the United States to fulfill a Masters Degree in Journalism as well as launch his fledgling career as a writer/advocate at Columbia University. With more than ten years on most of his peers, one would hope that Bose could represent a better model of maturity for younger journalists and activists. However, Bose, an Indian national, has previously been connected to an allegation of misinformation, wherein Bose and other journalists are accused of falsifying that they were detained after an attempted lynching upon them by Hindus in Delhi, India.
According to OpIndia, “Deputy Commissioner of Police, North-West Delhi was quick to state facts to refute Meghnad Bose’s claims. She tweeted, “Some of the reporters, willingly, on their own free will, to evade the crowd which was getting agitated by their presence, sat in PCR Van stationed at the venue and opted to proceed to Police Station for security reasons. No one was detained. Due police protection was provided.””
(Citation: https://www.opindia.com/2022/04/delhi-police-say-no-muslim-reporters-detained-at-hindu-mahapanchayat/)
Bose traveled to the United States in subsequent to another set of allegations against him: accusations of misconduct, sexual harassment and sexualization of peers by Bose. According to a reporting Indian publication, “allegations have surfaced against a reporter from The Quint, Meghnad Bose. As per the woman, she was under the influence of alcohol one night when she returned to her campus and was having fun in the company of friends on the lawn. Soon, they were joined by Meghnad.”
If we are selective as to who is held accountable, when and why, then all we do is proliferate a reality where Indian victims matter less than American Ivy League activists. Journalism is in jeopardy: how much longer can American media fall prey to such low level advocacy?
