Ladies first

9th March 2021. A 31-year-old woman orders food from an online food delivery app(Zomato). Hungry, she waits for the food. The delivery gets delayed. As per the company policy, for delayed food delivery, the bill is exempted. She demands the food now for free of cost or to cancel it, on a call with the customer care services. In the meantime, the delivery boy reaches and starts assaulting the woman and punches her on her nose. 

She protests about such a shameful act on her Instagram handle, capturing her bleeding nose. This video becomes viral in the wink of an eye. Enraged social media users strongly detest this act. And the woman, model by profession, lodges a complaint against the delivery boy. He is immediately arrested the next day and suspended from his job.

Gents later

13th March 2021. A 28-year-old man, a delivery boy by profession, is on his duty on 9th March, just like other days. He gets an order to be delivered and reaches there 15 minutes late due to traffic and roadblock. 

He hands over the food package and apologises for the delay, and requests not to complain against him. The customer, who was already in contact with the customer care service, starts abusing him and refuses to pay. 

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Because it was a COD(cash on delivery) order, giving the food free was not possible as he would lose out on money. Meanwhile, he receives a notification stating the order has been cancelled on the customer’s request. So he asks to give him the parcel back but is disrespectfully addressed to be a slave. The man again appeals to give the parcel back. 

On stern refusal, he then approaches the apartment door, himself to take the parcel since it was kept close to it. As he was about to leave the apartment, the customer started beating him with slippers. He defensively hit the latter’s hands back. 

In a fateful turn of events, the customer hurt the nose because of the ring worn on a finger. The customer now wrongfully accuses him of defamation. This man is arrested the next day. When he is released on conditional bail, he is interviewed and the clip again goes viral. Outrageous comments started pouring in, and people lent their support to the poor guy.

The perspective: Whose truth is true?

Ladies first, gents follow. The Zomato delivery boy case has been on the news ever since Hitesha Chandranee, a Bengaluru-based model and influencer, posted that video. That is where it all began. Social media platforms saw a variety of comments. While some users extended their support for her, others awaited the other side’s version.

Four days later, after managing to get a conditional bail, Kamaraj, the allegedly accused, came in front of the camera and spoke for himself. This video triggered a chain of tweets, comments and controversies. 

The social media courtroom consisting of innumerable judges have already passed their judgements in support of their chosen party, irrespective of the proof. Yes, the “proof”. The law system of India entrusts upon “proof”. It says “Innocent until proven guilty”. Considering this statement, neither of the parties have yet produced viable proofs. So in this case, neither of them shall be held guilty.

We aren’t aware of what exactly happened there on that day. Seems like there’s always an alternate reality. A scenario where both are victims from their perspectives, a villain from the others. 

Let’s update

We all have been following this news for quite a while now and are aware of its proceedings. To be brief, the man has, in turn, filed an FIR, and the police booked the make-up artist under IPC sections 355, 341, 504 and 506. Zomato immediately took steps in support of Chandranee like, temporarily suspending Kamaraj. The founder mentions that they are bearing earnings and paying for their 4.75/5 rated delivery partner.

The celebrity battle on Twitter

Parineeti Chopra’s plea for truth

In a recent tweet, Parineeti Chopra, actor, urged Zomato to find the truth as she indicated her support towards Kamaraj. Her post read “Zomato India – PLEASE find and publicly report the truth…If the gentleman is innocent (and I believe he is), PLEASE help us penalise the woman in question. This is inhuman, shameful and heartbreaking…Please let me know how I can help…#ZomatoDeliveryGuy (sic).”

Tanushree Dutta sympathisizes with the ‘victim’

In another post by former actor Tanushree Dutta, who is lauded recently for undergoing a massive transformation, losing 15 kgs,  blamed society for not hearing a woman’s voice. 

She posted “Men who assault women and are at risk of getting imprisoned will obviously deny the truth. They will cry, jump up and down, beg, plead, play the sympathy card and whatever else they need to do to get away. 

No man in the history of the Indian justice system has ever said ” yeah I did it” they deny even when they are in prison serving a life sentence.” on 16th March. In the same post, she continued, “How suddenly Bollywood digital portals and celebs have jumped in to say they believe the guy trying to spin another narrative to the crime?? 

Because a middle-class software engineer cannot afford the kind of PR disaster management service that a top food delivery app has access to. My question to everyone out there including our desi dud heroines who are pouring their heart on the poor victimised delivery boy…you were there? U saw what happened? A 4.5 rating ensures a saint is it?”

Many celebrities have come up with their opinions. The same is the scenario with them as well.  Perhaps, the majority of the public is with Kamaraj, many have their back for Hitesha. 

A call for sex-less humanity

Let’s not be judgemental for once. Keeping aside the gender roles, not paying heed to the social statuses of the opponents, let’s just for once analyze the situation individually.

Assuming that the girl is speaking the truth, many questions arise shedding its light on a woman’s safety, the services of the brand and many more. This part of the truth is terrifying.

Now, assuming the other to be the truth, defaming someone with serious charges like assault is as horrible as the previous. 

Both circumstances are examples of inhumane mentalities. The weaker section of society has always been targeted. Be a helpless, poor person or a woman. Both have the victims of immoral conduct and other atrocities. 

Let the truth triumph. That is what is ideal. Let there be an unhitched, unbiased investigation carried out thoroughly. That is the correct procedure we believe. 

Let justice be served.

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