Sonepat sisters to file defamation suit, reject claims of extortion

Ananya Panda

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 13

Caught in the video controversy, Sonepat sisters—Aarti and Pooja, today said that they will file defamation suit against those who given “false affidavits” against them to malign their image.

With representatives of the All India Women Corps and the All India Democratic Women’ Association (AIDWA) at their side, the duo not only reiterated that the issue should not seen as a dispute over bus seats as was being claimed by the accused boys’ kin, but should be dealt as a case of “teasing and molestation”. The sisters also rejected the allegations of compromising in the matter for money.

Rajesh Kumar, an LDC in the state’s power board, told TNS that the issue was resolved after the boys families agreed to apologise in front of the panchayat. However, after the recording a statement in which my daughter’s didn’t identify the boys as requested by the police, the boys went back on their word. Then we decided to go to the media,” he added.

The case took caste overtones since sisters belong to the Bairagya (OBC) community and the accused were Jats.

“Our activists investigating the matter in Aasan village faced immense pressure from the powerful Jat community which wanted us to denounce the government’s decision to honour the girls and support the boys,” said AIDWA general secretary Jagmati Sangwan, in solidarity with the sisters.

Pointing that when women raise their voice in caste ridden and patriarchal Haryana, Sangwan said that facts should be presented properly. Generally, the unnecessary controversy generated around such incidents take shatters the confidence of women and drives them to suicide. But these girls have stood up so they are now being humiliated with false charges. Even the authorities are not ready to take on the Jats. We will urge the government to complete the investigations before January 26,” she added.

Aarti and Pooja asserted that this was a fight for their self-respect and dignity. We are hopeful that justice will prevail. We will file defamation cases against those making false accusations,” they added.