Varun Grover Wants Closure In Harassment Allegation, Writer Who Tweeted Screenshot Responds

Varun Grover Tuesday demanded closure in a matter of sexual harassment allegation against him, which he has categorically denied, leading the author, who first shared the accusatory screenshot, to disclose the name of the source who forwarded the anonymous account on Twitter.

In his open letter, Grover, who has been a vocal supporter of #MeToo movement, said the allegation against him has not only affected his mental health and professional life but also his ability to take a social stand. “Revolutions are beautiful. They are cathartic, powerful, necessary, and like #metoo – inevitable. And revolutions, inevitably, have some collateral damage too,” Grover said in a post on Medium, which he shared on Tuesday. “… Am I angry? Yes. Is my mental health in shambles? Yes. Do I occasionally feel like a victim of an agenda? Yes. And would I still say ‘Believe All Women’? Yes. But please bring in the checks to differentiate it from ‘Believe All Screenshots’. Revolutions can be messy but they can’t be perceived as unjust.” The author, who had shared the screenshot, has been a prominent voice in the movement but has requested the media to not name her in their articles.

In his blog, Grover had supported the anonymity of those coming forward but said once fact-based, counter-claims are made by the accused, the movement can “make space for the intent to verify them” and if found untrue, the accusatory accounts should be removed. In her reply, the author said if the allegation is proven wrong, she would be ready to apologise to Grover. “No one wishes to dilute the movement by throwing around false accusations or by making redundant claims, least of all me. If the clarifications prove unsatisfactory, I’d be glad to rescind the post, apologise, and take the flack,” she said.

Seeking closure.

Full text here: https://t.co/EOpiUved1v pic.twitter.com/WKGSEkBUeR

— वरुण (@varungrover) October 16, 2018