A complaint has been filed against Assamese singer Papon for allegedly inappropriately kissing and touching a minor girl as seen on a Facebook Live video on his official page. In response to the allegations, the singer issued a statement saying, “My family stands by me in this tough time where I feel I am victimized for no fault of mine.”
He also called himself “extremely affectionate and expressive person” and that it was due to “faulty camera angles and an accidental move and not a sexual assault as being reported.”
— papon angaraag (@paponmusic) February 23, 2018
The minor girl is a contestant of a reality show and was being mentored by the singer. The girl also released a video testimonial stating the incident was misreported and Papon has been misunderstood as he had no bad intentions.
Soon #iStandByPapon started trending on Twitter with many coming out in support of the singer.
Since the parents are around all the time with the kids, the lawyer and the media should have asked them before making a circus of it! #IStandByPapon https://t.co/PitEuoWwz2
— salil sand (@isalilsand) February 24, 2018
This is an wonderful message for all the kids #IstandByPapon
https://t.co/NkkPdPslCR— Sushil K Kashyap (@SushilKashyap01) February 24, 2018
I got so many calls yesterday for this ridiculous misinterpretation of a man’s gesture of affection! I am a girl n I know what is sexual perversion in a man! And Papon is anything but that! Leave aside for a kid! Lotsa love @paponmusic #iStandbyPapon ??https://t.co/UJhX9P8fZH
— Monali Thakur (@monalithakur03) February 24, 2018
Wow so #istandbypapon is trending and I just went through the hashtagged tweets and now I have to deal with the fact that a large number of people from my country get neither the concept of sexual assault nor of the law taking its course.
— Pragya Tiwari (@PragyaTiwari) February 24, 2018
Everyone watch this video ,He treats everyone as his own children says the Mother of the Contestant !!! #IstandByPapon
https://t.co/lIsZtzUpwB— Ved Prakash (@AAPVed) February 24, 2018
The complaint was filed with the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights by Supreme Court advocate Runa Bhuyan. The video which went live on February 20 features Papon dressed as Gabbar Singh celebrating along with the children, contestants of a reality show. Towards the end of the live video, the singer smears colour on the girl’s face, pinches her cheeks, and then proceeds to kiss her. He stops the live video a few seconds later. The video is still available on his official Facebook page.
