Why pull down women who have spoken out against sexual harassment, asks Mohapatra

It is "ludicrous" to pull down women who have levelled allegations of sexual harassment against composer Anu Malik, singer Sona Mohapatra said on Wednesday as speculation grew over whether the sponsors of a singing reality show will drop him as a judge.

Malik refused to comment when contacted by PTI to respond to reports of him being sacked again as a judge.

"Have you watched the show? Have you seen the TRPs? No comments," Malik, who was dropped as a judge last year when the allegations first surfaced and reinstated this September, said.

Malik was called out for alleged sexual misconduct and harassment by Mohapatra as well as singers Neha Bhasin and Shweta Pandit.

Singer Hema Sardesai, however, batted for the composer and asked why the women who accused him had stayed silent for years.

"Are you'll trying to say all the other music directors who you'll worked with were Gods? Also if for publicity sake you are throwing stones at him, it's not acceptable... I mean it takes two hands to clap right?" she wrote on Monday.

In an Instagram post, Sardesai, who has often sung for Malik, added that she never compromised on her values in exchange for a track.

Sardesai's comment intensified the row.

"Ludicrous, illogical note trying to pull down all other women who spoke up in