IANS (MID-DAY; January 5, 2015)

Gauahar Khan's attacker has alleged that the actress paid him for slapping her in public. But the actress says it is the 'most ridiculous claim'.

In November, Gauahar, who was hosting a reality show in Mumbai, was slapped by Akil Mallik for reportedly wearing skimpy clothes.

And now, Malik has alleged that he was paid to slap her and that she had promised to get him a role in a film.

"This is my one and only response to the most ridiculous claim made by an accused who attacked me, went to jail for it and came out only to prove even more what a threat he is to normal living in India for girls, and also the weak stature even the media gives to a girl who especially belongs to the film or TV world," Gauahar said in a statement.

"What this man is claiming is a clear attempt to get away from the heinous crime he committed. It's absolutely bogus and a very poorly staged and filmy story obviously recommended by people who believe that our law will let him get away with such baseless stories," she added.

The winner of TV reality show also shared that she doesn't know the attacker. "I have never in my life met this man before I saw him charging at me on 'India's Raw Star' finale. I don't want to give him the two seconds of fame he desperately wants by clarifying any of his rubbish claims," she said.

"I trust the law fully and know that, that's where I'll get justice for the trauma I have had to go through because of his desperate need to wanting to be famous at the cost of my pain and name."

"I can prove every point made by him stand untrue with proof, but this guy only deserves to face the law alone. He's a liar and so shall be proved in the court of law," she added.

A traumatised Gauahar Khan opens up about the public attack on her that left her mistrustful of crowds and scared in the presence of strangers but insists that she will not cow down.
Roshmilla Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; December 3, 2014)

Talking to Mirror after her press conference yesterday, Gauahar Khan admitted that the huge crowd had scared her initially, made her feel unsafe. That is what being slapped on a reality TV show by a stranger who objected to her wearing short dresses, can do to an actress. More so an artiste who had fought fearlessly on camera for what she believed was right when in the Bigg Boss house.

Less than six months after winning Bigg Boss, while hosting the finale of another reality show, India's Raw Star, Gauahar was attacked. The assault happened in a place which minutes before had seemed secure and congenial. "I thought I was safe up there on stage but actually I was an easy target for this guy who just walked up and hit me. I have some amount of training in self defence but he took me completely unawares. While others pinned him down, I sat immobile, my face on fire, asking myself, 'Why? Why? Why did he hit me?'" she reminisces.

That's a question which has haunted Gauahar through the last two nights, making her wake up in tears. She says she can understand and respect differing opinions, even when it's something personal like her clothes. What she can't figure out is why the person would resort to physical violence.

"We can resolve issues through dialogue, baat kar lete hain, why did he have to hit me?" she asks, still bewildered. "I may have set an example to a few people as a woman with a mind of my own but I have never promoted any kind of dress code. I wouldn't wear a party dress to a prayer meeting or anything revealing on a college campus. But if it's a social do or if I'm on a set, I can dress differently, can't I? Unless it harms anyone, one should adopt a live and let live attitude and not try to dictate terms."

Gauahar believes that recent statements made by certain opinion leaders about 'appropriate' attire for women, could have been a catalyst for the attack on her. "I put my trust in this government and now I expect it to take a stern stand on this matter. This guy should not be allowed to get off easily or the rot will set deeper," she reasons.

Gauahar admits that she can be pretty gullible, and once even gave her cell phone to a 14-year-old boy who told her that he wanted to show it to his mother. "Thirty seconds after he disappeared into the building, I realised that I had been cheated. But after that incident I didn't feel threatened by the people around me. I didn't mistrust them," she points out, saying that if she saw two people fighting on the road, she'd get out of the car, overriding warnings.

She insists that she will continue to be strong for those who look upto her. "But today, I have to confess, that I'd be afraid, even of genuine fans. And that's sad," she says.

Arjun Kapoor took up for her on the day of the incident and Kushal Tandon has spoken out against the attack thereafter. She says that it is because they are educated.

"Education is important. Teachers should impress upon young boys to be gentle with women and not treat them as inanimate props. A person's attitude is evident in the way he talks to his sister, mother, maid, friend or even a stranger. Today, if I tell a guy on the bike to step behind the signal, he turns around and says, 'Ae chal'," she sighs. "God has not created us to be ill-treated but to nurture each other. If something like this could happen to a celebrity, I shudder to think how unsafe women on the streets are."

Neha Maheshwri Bhagat (BOMBAY TIMES; December 2, 2014)