Malayalam actor Honey Rose has initiated legal proceedings against Rahul Easwar, a social commentator, for his remarks which allegedly triggered a cyber attack against her. Businessman Boby Chemmanur had recently been arrested based on Honey Rose’s complaint and Rahul appeared in several videos, slut shaming Honey. On TV discussions, Rahul called for a 'social audit' on Honey, saying that while Boby must be respectful, Honey should dress modestly.
On Saturday, January 11, Honey Rose alleged that Rahul orchestrated a cyberattack against her. Calling it an ‘organised crime’, she said that this is aimed at discrediting her based on her appearance. In a social media post addressed to Rahul Easwar, signed in the name of Honey Rose Varghese and her family, the actor said that they are going through severe mental stress.
“I filed a complaint against the blatant abuse committed against me on a public platform. The police found my complaint to be valid and registered a case, and the court remanded the person I filed the complaint against. Rahul Easwar is planning an organized cybercrime to distort the seriousness of the complaint I filed and turn public consciousness against me,” her statement read.
“You are the main cause of all the cyberbullying, threats of job denial, obscene, ambiguous and insulting remarks against me. These are the result of your efforts for the last few days to control me, my fundamental rights, and create a public consciousness against me,” she wrote.
The statement also said that his comments have put her in distress, sometimes triggering extreme thoughts like death by suicide because of the mental toll it has taken on her.
Rahul had questioned Honey through several videos on his own YouTube channel and other media.
Honey first spoke about Rahul in a statement on January 9 when she took a dig at him and said that Rahul uses his ‘exceptional language skills to neutralise women’s concerns’. “While he has remarkable control over language, it falters when it comes to women's clothing,” she wrote.
He then responded that artists like Honey should be models to young girls. “You should consider whether Boby Chemmanur should be jailed for a year for making innuendos," Rahul said.
Rahul has often appeared as the spokesperson for powerful men accused of crimes against women in media discussions. His statements on topics such as the Kerala actor assault case of 2017, MeToo allegations, and Sabarimala women's entry have triggered controversies in the past.
