An article appeared in the Guardian(14/11/2023) regarding a film made by India origin Canada citizen Nisha Pahuja. The film called, ‘To kill a Tiger’ is about sexual crimes in India. The article is written by an Iranian Guardian correspondent Saeed Kamali Dehgan.
Here is my response which is sent to the editor of the Guardian and to both Nisha and Saeed. This film will unfortunately give India a negative publicity based on false claims.
Dear Katherine, Nisha and Saeed
Saeed in his article claims that India has a rape culture which makes it the world’s most dangerous place for girls and women. He further claims there are high rates of sexual assaults in India but 99% go unreported.
The statistics actually are that India has one of the lowest per capita of rape in the world. Nisha and Saeed obviously have scant regard for facts. Nisha is obviously driven by an agenda. The other fellow India haters have joined the bandwagon. The New York Times has included the soon to be released film in their, ‘most anticipated release’ category. Anne Thompson of India Wire has named it to her Oscar’s contenders list for 2024. Anne does punch above her weight doesn’t she. Amongst the executive producers of this film is actor Dev Patel and a Atul Gawande.
Now let us look at the sexual crimes statistics of Nisha’s Canada. As of 2022 sexual crimes in Canada has been growing relentlessly. Tens of thousands of sexual crimes are committed every year. Tens of thousands of sexual crimes are not even reported in Canada. Conviction rates of sexual and other crimes is 3% to 1.6%.
Will Nisha Pahuja now make a film of her dear country Canada? Will she say Canada has a rape culture? Regarding Saeed, he is an Iranian journalist working for the Guardian. Does he know the situation of women in Iran? Would he dare to write even a small piece on the plight of Iranian women? Has he not heard the proverb, ‘ those living in glass houses should not throw stones at others’?
The Indian people everywhere should be prepared to counter the avalanche of shame that this agenda driven film is going to generate.
Nitin Mehta
www.nitinmehta.co.uk
14 November 2023
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