By now most of us have heard about the controversy surrounding the alleged sexual assault against a minor by Bollywood Singer Papon. Now the case has got itself a name Papon kiss controversy. Likewise every case, here also the two camps exist in the battle that has raged on social media since the viral publication of the video showing Papon kissing a contestant of the reality show Voice India Kids. On one hand, we have those who term the incident as an act of sexual assault; and on the other we have ones who claim that it was innocent “fatherly love”. Let us examine the Papon kiss controversy and the arguments coming from both the sides and decide for ourselves.
Why the Act is Condemnable
since time immemorial, manics are present in every society. They even go sexual for girls or women who actually look them up as protectors. In most child molestation cases, the offender is a close friend of the parents. Only recently was Larry Nassar sentenced to life imprisonment after being accused of sexual assault by several female athletes. Until now, the victims found it difficult to voice their complaints as the structure itself was biased against them and did not provide a conducive atmosphere for dialogue or change.
One is reminded of Harvey Weinstein (and the likes of him); who continued to prey on aspiring actors for years, abusing his power as one of the influential Hollywood personnel. At the end of the day; the context of the Papon case is heavily influenced by the countless preceding cases of sexual assaults against minors. A judge taking a child by the jaw and planting a firm kiss on the face/mouth must invite scrutiny. The precedents are just too glaring to brush this aside as an insignificant incident.
Is child capable to judge between right and wrong?
The fact that the alleged victim in question is a minor complicates the matter. The concept of consent is not well understood in India. Children often can’t express their discomfort of being touched or talked to inappropriately. Children in our country are taught to remain silent about the harassment they face to preserve the family honor.
In a recent video, the child contestant Manashi Sahari defended Papon. You can see it for yourself right here.
That’s a manifestation of the paranoia induced by the Indian “honor” right there. For many victims, it takes half a lifetime to completely understand what happened during their childhood. And this process of understanding takes a heavy toll on them, often leaving permanent scars on their psyche.
