Writer KR Meera 
Kerala

Writer KR Meera denies allegations of justifying Sharon Raj's murder

Refuting the claims that she justified murder, Meera clarified that her remarks were about the societal constraints that prevent women from leaving toxic relationships.

Written by : TNM Staff

Renowned writer K R Meera has responded to the controversy surrounding her remarks at the Kerala Literature Festival (KLF) held in Kerala’s Kozhikode, asserting that her words were taken out of context to falsely portray her as someone supporting sexual violence. She also revealed that she is being threatened with a police complaint by an individual she described as a ‘man known for shielding those accused of brutal crimes, including quotation rapes and other forms of sexual violence.’

“I am a writer who speaks and writes for the equal citizenship guaranteed by the Indian Constitution. My words at the Kerala Literature Festival, where I discussed the evolving perceptions of love among the younger generation, have been selectively misinterpreted to file a complaint against me, falsely branding me as someone who supports sexual violence,” Meera wrote on her social media page.

Addressing the legal charges, she pointed out that Section 67 of the IT Act pertains to the dissemination of obscene material through electronic media. “The definition of ‘obscene’ as per legal and general dictionaries refers to something lascivious or intended to incite sexual thoughts. Nowhere in my conversation did I use words that could be categorised as such,” she stated.

Refuting the claims that she justified murder, Meera clarified that her remarks were about the societal constraints that prevent women from leaving toxic relationships. “I merely stated that even ‘excusable or justifiable’ offences should not be committed by a noble man. The essence of my argument was that men should take the lead in reducing crimes in society by becoming ideal partners,” she wrote, dismissing the claim that her words could incite unrest between genders.

Meera also took a sharp dig at her detractors, questioning the intent behind the complaint. “Has my statement led to riots or violence between men and women anywhere in Kerala? Instead, it is the complainant who regularly makes public declarations across electronic media platforms that seemingly justify crimes. Analyzing his own words under legal provisions would reveal the nature of his accusations,” she noted.

The controversy erupted over Meera’s comments on toxic relationships, particularly her reference to ‘kashayam,’ an Ayurvedic concoction which was linked to the Sharon Raj murder case. She was speaking at a one-hour session at KLF, about love and relationships. 

During her session at KLF, Meera remarked, “I want to tell the younger generation, please don’t follow the Sati system mentally. If a woman does not have the freedom to walk out of a relationship, she may become a criminal. Perhaps, she may have to give minor kashayams. It is the duty of her lover not to lead her to this crime. The problem is when he doesn’t do that duty.”

Her statement was interpreted by some as a tacit approval of Greeshma, the death row convict in the Sharon Raj case, who poisoned him using kashayam. However, Meera has categorically denied justifying any crime. 

“Saying that men in relationships should not push women into situations where they might be forced to commit crimes is not the same as justifying those crimes,” she clarified.

She further criticised the attempt to twist her words to create social hostility against her. “Is this controversy a ‘literary quotation’ devised by those who stand by individuals accused of sexual crimes, or is it a ‘political quotation’ born from the discomfort my words cause to the right wing?” she questioned, demanding a proper inquiry into the motives behind the complaint against her.

Following her remarks in KLF, activist Rahul Easwar had filed a complaint against Meera at the Ernakulam Central Police Station, accusing her of committing crimes under Sections 352 (intentional insult with the intent to provoke a breach of the peace), 353 (public mischief), and 196 (promoting enmity) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with Section 67 of the Information Technology (IT) Act, alleging that her statements justified murder. 

Easwar stated that Meera’s statement was a veiled endorsement of the Sharon Raj murder convict, though she did not explicitly mention names.