The only good thing about the internet (on most days) is the fact that we get to be aware. Of things that are happening around us, of things that we may not know of, otherwise. For instance, the recent conversation around Rahat Fateh Ali Khan has put things into perspective for a lot of people. The videos of the said incident are now viral.
The video shows Rahat Fateh Ali Khan hitting a man with a slipper, while enquiring about a ‘bottle’. Reportedly, the man, Naveed Hasnain is a protege. The incident is understandably triggering and deeply problematic – something that people talked about. However, that’s not where it ends.
After the clip went viral, the singer issued an ‘apology’ where he almost justifies his actions. He said: “Yeh ek ustaad aur shagird ka rishta hai. Jab koi shagird achha kaam karta hai toh usko utna hi pyaar hi dete hain.” The video goes on for a while, where he also brings in the student and his father. He then asks the student to issue his statement – which is another low.
Reportedly, the singer also said in other video that this clip was shot and leaked by someone who wanted to tarnish his image. He said, “These are attempts to defame me and paint me as a tyrant, but I ask them to take a look at themselves first.” The series of events – where he assaulted his student, made the victim issue a ‘clarification’ for his image cleansing, and then posed as a victim is particularly terrifying.
There is no justification that makes it better, and the least one can do is apologize. It’s the bare minimum, but the singer somehow managed to make it worse than what he did.
Both the incident and the aftermath has left people outraged. Singer Chinmayi Sripada also criticized Rahat Fateh Ali Khan for assaulting a student.
On some days, there’s very little humanity to us, humans.
