Darain Shahidi at the release of Khurshid Anwar's books

Описание: Darain Shahidi, journalist and dastango, reads out excerpts from Khurshid Anwar's books leaving the audience to marvel at Khurshid Anwar’s skilful use of humour and poignancy. Khurshid’s wit coupled with sharp political insight came through in the autobiographical accounts of his growing up years in Allahabad.

Khurshid’s reminisces about Mahabharta being enacted by a Muslim woman in his house, of trust, camaraderie and mutual respect between men and women of diverse faiths with no ‘wahabbis’ in the midst are heart-warming. Darain’s skilful rendition only added to the charm.

This is a clip from the release of Khurshid Anwar's books at an event held at IIC on 15th October.

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Tried by media, harassed & defamed on social media and National TV, Khurshid Anwar was declared a rapist before FIR and with no medical test of the victim.

Khurshid Anwar was the Director of Institute for Social Democracy, an NGO that had been extremely active in the Nirbhaya case, organizing marches and vigils among other things. Notably, Institute for Social Democracy is the only NGO in the country to declare a holiday on 16th December.

Khurshid Anwar was a well-known and respected critic of both Hindu and Muslim fundamentalism and fascism of any kind. In the recent past, Jansatta had carried his articles on the critique of Wahhabi Islam. A strong advocate of women's rights, people close to him vouch for the fact that he has never been accused of any untoward behaviour towards women colleagues, let alone rape.

A kind act of allowing a drunk, unwell, female worker of a group that worked on Uttarakhand floods relief work to stay over at his house in September led to a complaint of rape soon after. interestingly, he asked for another woman worker from the same group to stay and take care of the girl but the girl's colleagues paid no attention and left her with him. It is sad to note that had Khurshid Anwar turned out the drunk and unwell girl on the roads that night, he would've still been with us today! A few days later, the girl who stayed over at his house alleged rape, but in spite of Dr Anwar's open challenge to her did not get an FIR registered nor appeared for a medical test.

However, without any FIR being lodged or case being registered, the social media began defaming him and harassing him and this has relentlessly continued since late September. He filed a defamation case against the same.

On Tuesday night (17th December), India TV ran a full feature on him, vilifying him and declaring him to be a rapist. The FIR was lodged only on Tuesday evening, and not by the girl but by some parties on her behalf. on 18th morning, Khurshid Anwar committed suicide.

The questions we wish to raise are: what gave the media a right to pronounce him guilty before an FIR was lodged and courts looked into the matter? Why was no medical examination done or FIR lodged till December after the alleged rape happened in September? More importantly, why are social media and national TV defaming and harassing a man who has not been proved guilty? It is time to demand a stop to the trial by media and implement ways to regulate it.

Please share this widely and let us stand together for a man who was denied the due process of law before being vilified; something that should not be acceptable to a modern, democratic citizenship.